3 Days Camping in the Berkshires聽
As the school year comes to a close, teachers begin looking ahead to next year and the transition for our students. In preparation, our faculty planned a camping trip for the sixth and seventh grades to the Berkshires, intending to establish a bond between these two classes who will work together frequently in the coming year.聽 During the trip, the group spent the day at the Ramblewild high-ropes course for an adventurous challenge.聽
As the expedition leader and head of the Outdoor Education program, Rob Palmer had a key perspective to share. 鈥淓veryone showed up with an amazing attitude, an incredible spirit, and a willingness to persevere through challenges. Each student was given a ‘big job.’ They took on great responsibility and ownership for their work. On our trips, we begin each transition with a circle where we share logistics, process events of the day, prepare for the next activity, and reconnect as a group鈥� they are a place for reflection, gratitude, and vulnerability. Our final circle today was the finest example of what these transitions can be. During the circle,聽 the students were asked to reflect on what they learned on this trip. Here are a few highlights:
鈥淚t鈥檚 gonna work out.鈥�
鈥淧repare for the worst, hope for the best.鈥�
鈥淢anage your expectations.鈥�
鈥淭rust the process.鈥�
鈥淏e in the moment.”
鈥淏e glad for the opportunity.鈥�
鈥淒on鈥檛 underestimate the challenge or your ability to meet it.”
鈥淗ave fun and gratitude.鈥�
鈥淚f something scares, you just try it.”
鈥淏e nice to everyone.”
Our parent support team鈥檚 skills complemented each other perfectly. Chaperones Jen Zahorchak and Glenn Etter鈥檚 years of outdoor experience helped to create educational and meaningful moments throughout the trip. Glenn led nature awareness hikes and a great swim. Jen led a night-vision science activity.聽 Jen reflected on the trip: 鈥淲hat a gift to spend three days adventuring with our students! To a person, they were open, engaged, brave, generous, and fun! The Ramblewild ropes course was certainly a high point. More than once I teared up watching them be their best selves and celebrate each other along the way.
鈥淥ne of the Ramblewild staff members (a young man studying education at Champlain College in Burlington!), went out of his way to tell me how impressed he was with our kids. He’s been guiding there a couple of years and said he noticed that our group was particularly polite, capable, and tuned in to one another. He also remarked on how they were all so confident in themselves. He noted that each of them was comfortable with their own level of risk, not needing to “one-up” or outdo each other, but self-aware enough to make their own decisions about how far to push themselves.鈥�
Sixth grade teacher Garrett Kimberly shared his gratitude for our dedicated parent chaperones. 鈥淭rip leaders Peter Pelaia and Julie Bibleheimer were pillars of warmth and joviality. They were models of what it means to find joy in one’s work and were absolute magnets for the student’s admiration. Peter led the fire brigade, reminding me of some ancient fire deity. Julie led team water (a job that required rather a lot of physical strength鈥攍ugging many gallons of water a fair distance). She too was reminiscent of a god鈥擠emeter perhaps. I hope my hyperbola doesn’t read as mere flattery. They were all among the finest team members Rob and I have ever worked with.鈥�
After the three-day camping trip and ropes course adventure, this group聽of next year鈥檚 middle school students came home having built trust and found delight in one another, and looking forward to the next challenges they will tackle together.聽
Photos by ZVD Photography.
