Proctor Academy's Mountain Classroom arrived in Southern Arizona last Thursday for solos at the Cascabel Conservation Association. On Friday, we organized our solo gear, helped the community dig holes and plant trees at their orchard site, and then transitioned to the trailhead where we would next hike to our solo sites. On Saturday morning, students walked out to their solo sites after a sage ceremony. They made their homes in the desert with the company of the sun, saguaros, and provisions of their choosing. On Tuesday afternoon we came back together as a community, shared stories, and feasted. On Wednesday we drove farther south in Arizona to spend time at the Tohono O'odham Reservation (read about this adventure in our next blog)!

As Proctor's Mountain Classroom group continues their journey westward, their travels took them to White Sands National Monument in a 60mph windstorm where they had sledding adventures galore on the gorgeous white dunes. Now the group has transitioned to Cascabel, Arizona for their solo experience. Read the student reflections from White Sands below: 

When we pause and look at our lives, it is fascinating to see how various events unknowingly prepared us for where we are today. As Annie Waterman ‘00 embarks on a new venture AOW Handmade, an international consultancy connecting artisans and buyers around the globe, she sees how each step in her journey prepared her for this new adventure.

Proctor Academy's Mountain Classroom group was joined by program director, Patty Pond, last week at the Annunciation House where they immersed themselves in their Border Awareness Experience. World Language teacher Alejandra Young  joined the group at the end of the week, at which point leaders Coco and Timbah took a well-deserved weekend off, and the Mountain crew traveled to Hueco Tanks to admire the stunning natural beauty, seek out petroglyphs, and go bouldering. The group is now  driving north into New Mexico to spend the next two nights exploring White Sands National Monument with their backpacks! 

After a week paddling on the Rio Grande with Desert Sports out of Terlingua, Mountain Classroom has arrived at Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas to begin their study of border issues. Meredith '17 and Avery '17 reflect on the past week paddling a leisurely 33 miles down the Rio Grande in today's Mountain Classroom blog! 

Proctor Academy's Mountain Classroom program just completed a weeklong adventure in Big Bend National Park during which they studied wilderness first aid. Students practiced scenarios where first aid skills necessary to respond to backcountry ailments and injuries were required. Check out some stunning photography from the five day trip alongside student reflections in today's Mountain Classroom blog. The group next heads out for a rafting trip up the Rio Grande! Enjoy! 

After a two week winter break, Proctor Academy's Mountain Classroom group reunited in Austin, Texas for the second half of their journey across the American Southwest. After a few days of reconnecting in Blanco State Park, the group began preparations for their weeklong backpacking trip in Big Bend. Read an update from Eliza '17 and Lilah '17 in this week's blog post! 

Following Mountain Classroom's week long journey up the Mississippi River, they spent two days in Clarksdale, MS visiting with high school students before touring William Faulkner's home and Rowan Oak.  They then traveled to visit a politics professor at Ole' Miss before making a stop with river ecologists at the USDA research station in Oxford, MS. As the group breaks for two weeks, Avery '16 leaves us with this reflection from Clarksdale.