The Taieri College director of years seven and eight spent the day on the Taieri River yesterday walking, rafting and swimming with 26 of his pupils, courtesy of Wild Earth Adventures.
"One of the big reasons I do it is just to get kids in the outdoors and this is on their doorstep, this is their local ... I think it helps them grow," he said.
The school has been sending pupils on such trips for the past 18 years, but this is the first year the whole junior school will have the chance to go.
Mr Woods wanted the junior pupils to have an amazing shared experience as it allowed them to bond with each other, and with the teachers, parents, and school prefects who went with them.
"I think it's good for their self-esteem and confidence ... pushing them out of their comfort zone, which is a big thing for kids these days, because life is so easy for them."
The pupils walked 6km from Outram Glen to Lee Stream, travelled by jet-boat 7km upstream for a barbecue lunch and some rock jumping, before rafting back down the river through grade two white water.
"Kids these days need to get outside and do things like this and see how fun it is."
Wild Earth Adventures owner Steve Brown said the business took up to 1000 school pupils on trips up the river each year and he loved "getting kids active".
"I have a pretty simple motto for life: work hard, play hard. In the South Island there are so many places to play hard ... and that's what I want the kids to do, get some balance in life.
We've got a lot of competition, what with the internet and video games," he said.
It was also important for them to learn about river safety, and gain confidence around water.
One of the highlights of the school rafting trips was stopping at a spot called Bum Rock (because it has a split down the middle), and getting the children to try and swim through it.
What they do not realise is that a buffer wave will likely prevent their success, pushing them into a swirling eddy which sends them right back to where they started.
Mr Brown always enjoyed seeing which pupil put their hand up for first crack at the challenge, and seeing which ones made it through.
"The loudest kid in the class usually goes straight to the back," he said.
The joy was obvious on the children's faces, too, with many squeals of delight, and looks of sheer terror being replaced with ones of pride.
And most would later return to the river, such was their sense of achievement, he said.
