During these journeys, students and faculty embrace our commitment to experiential learning, focusing on history, science, outdoor education, and more. Each trip is an opportunity to experience school in a different way, and every small detail is a chance for learning and growth. Students travel without their parents or guardians and without phones and other technology. Teenagers, in this day and age, often rely too much on their devices, but you don’t see that with High Meadows students. 

Our trips enhance all areas of study across the middle school curriculum, including our Connections program. When the sixth graders travel to Jekyll, they have to know how to ride a bike, as we ride more than 20 miles during our travels. Many students experience slight anxiety if they have never been on a bike, but they all take lessons from Ms. Topper and pass a bike test before the trip. Seventh grade’s week in Williamsburg has a heavy focus on social studies as students explore colonial times and even visit the original Jamestown settlement. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to dive into eighth grade’s 10-day adventure in more detail. For many eighth graders, it’s the highlight of their time as a High Meadows student. We don’t travel to Washington DC like many other middle schools. Instead, the other side of the country is our destination as we fly into Colorado. Our destination is Estes Park. During our trip, we hike and drive into various ecosystems ranging from tundra at 10,000 feet to Moraine Parks at 7,000 feet. We traverse mountains and other difficult terrain on foot for more than 25 miles during our stay in the beautiful, snow-capped Rockies. Seeing Colorado through the eyes of our students who have never gazed upon mountains of that magnitude is captivating. 

The Estes Park trip is a testament to the abilities of our oldest students as they persevere, take risks, reflect, plan, and try again. They spend time in the great outdoors climbing up mountains and over boulders, and they also serve as prep cooks, chefs, and dishwashers, learning to live with one another. The time together provides new and strengthened bonds. Students learn to hold each other accountable and are the true living embodiment of our Mission, Vision, and Values. 

If you’re worried about our future, I want to calm those fears. The world needs High Meadows students. During my five years on these trips, there have been countless times when complete strangers have pulled me or a chaperone aside. At a typical middle school, it might be for a conversation we don’t want to have — a misbehaving student, bad language, or some other teenage tomfoolery. Not at High Meadows. These strangers express genuine shock at how thoughtful and respectful our students are. 

In Williamsburg this past October, a guide encountered our group. I took one look at her and saw the fear in her eyes. She was about to deal with more than 20 seventh graders, and I could sense her anxiety. I watched as that fear turned to a small amount of concern, then to awe, and finally to pure amazement. It was a heartwarming reminder for me and the chaperones of how well-respected our students are, and how well-prepared they are for the real world. 

I am honored to serve as High Meadows School’s Middle Years Principal. Our students are empathetic not only on trips but also on campus. They advocate for local and global issues and are always curious about other perspectives. When they leave High Meadows, they are prepared for high school academically and socially and are ready to change the world. I’d encourage you to take a moment to learn more about our Middle Years Program and schedule a visit to discover what makes a High Meadows education so unique and valuable.