Upper School Newsletter

November 18, 2021

Dear Upper School Families,

When I was a kid, my family car camped! We loaded sleeping bags, bug spray, and the trusty Coleman stove in the station wagon and headed to the woods. Once there, the magic of the outdoors came alive, for me, through the lens of camp food. One of my favorite camp snacks was my mom’s homemade trail mix. Something about her trail mix defined the essence of exploration, adventure, and challenging outdoor experiences. To this day, a good trail mix makes every hike complete.

When the student body voted to name the upper school mentoring program Trail Mix, I was one happy camper 😊. As Trailblazers, the upper school community has adventured down so many paths, and one of the most important is the trek of relationships. Trail Mix is an intentional time where high school students and middle school students join together to create shared experiences. These experiences create an opportunity for high school students to connect with middle school students, model LIFESKILLS and Lifelong Guidelines, and share common interests.

Whether the groups are playing games, solving challenges, or participating in acts of service, upper school students have the opportunity once a week to build relationships. Doing so is not always easy. The challenge of making connections to students outside of your friend group, as a teenager, is real. LIFESKILLS of patience, friendship, caring, and cooperation are all required. However, we are witnessing success and watching our students build valuable skills that students will use for the rest of their lives. The experience from my childhood is still valid: Trail Mix makes every journey more valuable!

With 1VOICE,

Mr. R