Two groups of Loomis Chaffee students and faculty traveled abroad in March to engage in experiential learning. One group ventured north to the Arctic Circle while the other group headed south to the Dominican Republic.

The Arctic group, accompanied by a team of research scientists from Earthwatch, conducted field and lab research; immersed themselves in the culture of Churchill, Manitoba; and worked together to examine the effects of climate change on the Arctic and the rest of the world. Earthwatch is an international non-profit organization that engages people in scientific field research and education to promote a sustainable environment.

“This was a really excellent opportunity for our students,” said Pete Gwyn, one of the trip’s faculty leaders. “All year, we have been hearing about climate change; it’s one thing to hear someone speak about it and to read it, but it’s another to actually go out there for 10 days and live it.”

The students on the trip spent the majority of their time measuring evidence of global warming with scientists at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. They assessed snowpack and conducted snow-depth analysis, providing data from the winter of 2014 for a long-term study of climate-related effects on the environment.

Students also were able to watch the Northern Lights, build an igloo, go dogsledding, and attend a series of lectures related to climate change and the work in the Arctic.

“What I learned and experienced at Churchill is unforgettable,” senior Tate Knight said. “Everything we did, from field work to lab work, is relatable back to the school theme this year—and in the Arctic, we were able to experience it in the most remarkable way.”

At a very different latitude, the group of students and faculty on the Dominican Republic trip engaged in community service work with Cambiando Vidas, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that builds international partnerships through the construction of houses for families in need. During their 10-day visit, the students helped to construct a cinder-block home for a family near San Juan de Maguana. The students also had the opportunity to learn conversational Spanish, participate in local customs and traditions, explore the Dominican Republic countryside, and dine on local cuisine

“I felt as though I learned so much about the culture in the Dominican just in the short amount of time that we were there,” sophomore Lydia Masri said. “It was a great experience and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to go.”

The students also gained a deeper understanding of development work and nonprofit organizations; learned about microfinance, biofiltration systems, and solar energy projects; and gained a greater appreciation for the value of hard work and community service. Through the project, they also built friendships with the family for whom they built the house.

“Traveling to the Dominican Republic was a great learning experience for our students,” said history teacher Elliot Dial, one of the faculty leaders on the trip. “It’s important they are able to see and understand different cultures that exist outside of Loomis.”

Rachel Nisselson, a trip leader and head of the Modern and Classical Languages Department, agreed. “As a language teacher, there’s a huge difference between learning a word in class and using it in context,” she said. “It was an amazing opportunity for students to not only experience the culture but to interact with locals as well.”

Both trips were coordinated by Loomis’ Center for Global Studies.

Read the blog students kept while in the Arctic.