Don’t take our word for the powerful and often life-changing Field Course experiences at The White Mountain School. Here’s what a few students, now alumnae/i, had to say about their experiences.
Djenebou Semega ’19
Bronx, New York
“I went on the ‘Farm to Table: Experience Local Agriculture and Low-Impact Living’ Field Course this fall with an amazing group of people. I was grateful to have the opportunity to learn about the food that I eat and learn that I can actually make decisions about what food I eat. It was exciting seeing how farms work and how people live ‘off the grid.’ I milked a goat for the first time and ate delicious food over the course of the trip.”
Edner Oloo ’17
Migori, Kenya
“I went on the ‘Poverty, Homelessness, and Hunger: Meeting People’s Basic Needs’ Field Course in Portland, Maine. We visited the Preble Street Resource Center’s soup kitchen and food bank. In the soup kitchen, we helped cook, prepare, and serve food. In the food bank, we helped with labeling and packing food items. Going on this trip was eye-opening to me, personally, because one of the things we did was plan three meals for 13 people with a $70/day budget—keeping in mind that there are vegetarians in the group and those with allergies. This was not only stressful but also an impossible task. And imagining some people living on $2 a day all around the world was unimaginable to me. However, through this experience, I was able to reflect and plan on how I use the resources I possess and receive. It was a good opportunity to learn about poverty all around the globe and how it can be prevented or decreased.”
Fatimata Cham ’19
The Bronx, New York
“We can choose to be affected by the world, or we can choose to affect the world. My fall Field Course, ‘Living In A Democracy: State and National Politics in an Election Year,’ has taught me the importance of having a voice. With this unique opportunity, I was given a chance to fully explore the question: ‘are we really living in a democracy?’ I was given a chance to question the world we live in and push my peers to think about the world we live in. I was also given a chance to come up with new ideas and meet both parties in the 2016 presidential election. This Field Course showed me the importance of voting and how it affects our everyday lives. I know I will be using the valuable lessons that I have learned on my Field Course for the rest of my life.”
Liana Alford ’18
The Bronx, New York
“This fall, I went on the ‘Developing Leadership Through Expeditionary Canoeing’ Field Course in Maine. Even though I was with people that I didn’t really know that well, by the end of the trip, we were all great friends. My favorite part of our course was the structure of the trip: we used alternating student leaders of the day who had to plan our paddling route and campsite. Overall it was an amazing experience, and it helped me practice my leadership and understand my personal style. I hope in the future to assist a similar field course!”
Max Lauster ’18
Cleveland, Ohio
“Throughout my time at Tthe White Mountain School, I have had the opportunity to go on many amazing Field Courses. From learning about the basic physics of climbing to traveling to Iceland and studying volcanos, every Field Course I have attended has been a fantastic way to experience learning first-hand. Most recently, I traveled to Maine on the ‘Hydropower: The Costs and Benefits of Damming Free-Flowing Rivers’ Field Course. After speaking with representatives of a local dam in New Hampshire as well as a major dam in Maine, we had the chance to whitewater raft/kayak on one of the most beautiful stretches of river that I have ever been on. Field Courses really are a fantastic way to learn about the subjects that interest you the most.”
Henry Rodriguez ’20
Randolph, New Jersey
“What I liked about the ‘Mainly Art and Music: A Cultural Exploration Around Acadia National Park’ Field Course was all the amazing places we went to. We saw so many beautiful places, and the views we earned from those places were astonishing!”
Grace Tamlyn ’18
Houston, Texas
“I was so excited to be a part of the ‘Discovering Nicaragua: Its History, Culture, and Vision for a Sustainable Future’ Field Course. Not only did we have super cool faculty members that were leading the trip, but we were about to be immersed in a developing country! Throughout our eight-day journey, we got to stay with host families, eat lots of gallo pinto and plantains, play with the local kids that lived in the village, work with the Women-In-Action group (a health and education non-profit), visit a huge museum, and go zip lining across one of Nicaragua’s Lakes. I learned from this experience to appreciate the little things in life and to always stay closely connected to my family (Nicaraguans are very much family-oriented)! This was a trip of a lifetime, and I hope I can go again!”
Nathaniel Clement ’20
Cohoes, New York
“Field Course only happens twice a year. It’s great to be able to leave campus for a week and learn about something that you know about and want to go even further into or to learn something new. You will come back to campus a changed person and with a bigger and better understanding of what’s happening outside of your comfort level in the world. Also, it’s great to have your friends and teachers with you to make the experience even better, engaging, and fun. The ‘Conservation and Mountain Bike Recreation: Public Land Management’ course that I was a part of was awesome!”
Mariama Lemon ’20
The Bronx, New York
“I went on my first Field Course with ‘The Map is Not the Territory: Geography and Old-School Land Navigation’ course this year. We used old school technology such as compasses and topography maps to navigate The Adirondack Mountains in New York State and smaller trails in Vermont. This experience was breathtaking for me: I lived in New York City all my life, but I was never exposed to this type of outdoor environment. I was surprised at how much I could do without my phone and what type of environments there are in the world.”
Amin Arabzada ’20
Kunduz, Afganistan
“I went on the ‘Place-Based Writing in the White Mountains’ Field Course. It was my first Field Course, and I was very happy that I had the time and guidance for writing my short story and other pieces. I had two great faculty members who knew so much about the White Mountains and the places where we stayed.”