On Summer Trips with the Alvord Center, Students Explore the Connecticut River, the Adirondacks, and Buzzards Bay

By Becky Purdy

On the morning of June 8, 13 Loomis Chaffee students and two faculty members hiked along the U.S.-Canadian border to visit a pond that forms the headwaters of the Connecticut River and to embark on a 10-day journey, mostly by canoe, to the river’s mouth on Long Island Sound.

On that same morning, 14 other students and their faculty leaders explored the docks and commercial fishing vessels of New Bedford, Massachusetts, the first stop on the group’s nine-day adventure to discover identity, diversity, and sense of place on Buzzards Bay.

Meanwhile, a third group of 14 students roamed the ruins of a fort on Lake George and learned about local place names as they and three faculty leaders started the first full day of their week of exploration and leadership-building in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state.

The three simultaneous trips pioneered an expansion of the school’s educational travel programs to include “Close to Home” adventures along with the international and farther-flung domestic trips that are slated to resume next spring after a two-year, pandemic-induced hiatus. The school’s Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, organizes the travel programs as part of its broader mission to develop globally and environmentally engaged leaders in the Loomis student community.

It’s not necessary to travel halfway around the world to encounter cultures, heritage, and landscapes that offer lessons about a place, explains Marley Matlack, the Christopher H. Lutz Director of the Alvord Center. Nor is it necessary to fly to a far-away locale to see poverty or delve into environmental challenges, experiences that also inform place-based learning and offer opportunities for engaged citizenship.

By all accounts — including personal stories, journal entries, photo and video chronicles, and blog posts along the way — the 41 participants in the Close to Home trips in June gleaned powerful lessons and profound insights while also simply having a blast.
 

From Headwaters to the Sound: The Connecticut River

The Northeast Kingdom and Connecticut River trip focused on the sense of place created by the river and the importance of the river’s watershed.

The group spent the first few days of the trip based in Averill, Vermont, a stone’s throw from the Canadian border. “Our favorite part of the day was hiking along the Canadian border to the 4th Connecticut Lake,” wrote rising junior Sofia Rincón and rising senior Will Howley in a post on the trip’s blog. “We thought the lake was cool because it is the official start of the Connecticut River, which we interact with every day at Loomis and at our respective homes in Glastonbury, Connecticut. The trail was quite muddy and rocky, and we tripped a couple of times, but we thoroughly enjoyed the adventure! Now that we have seen where the river starts, we can’t wait to continue our journey along the river to gain a greater perspective.”

In those initial days, the students considered a variety of perspectives on the river’s importance and impact. They visited a fish and wildlife refuge, discussed environmental stakeholder analysis with a Dartmouth professor, met an elder of the Abenaki people to consider an indigenous view of environmental efforts, and enjoyed a sunset poetry reading by Matt Miller, author of Tender the River, a collection of poems about the Merrimack River Valley of New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. They also mountain biked in the pouring rain, plunged into the cold waters of Forest Lake, made camp fires, listened to loons, and geared up for their six-day canoe trip.

Pushing off from the riverbank in Colebrook, New Hampshire, on the first day of their river journey, the group paddled to Lyman Falls, where they camped for the night. “12 miles, 4 sets of rapids, 2 rainstorms, 1 bald eagle, 0 cell phones, and 13 happy students!” the day’s blog post reported.

“Everyone became a lot closer today, facing challenges together,” wrote rising sophomore Brighton McMahon and rising junior Duhee Lee along with a drawing of Brighton and rising senior Bridget Hickey setting up hammocks at the campsite.

Over the following five days, the students, faculty, and their river guide paddled another 63 miles on the Connecticut, camping along the way and stopping at various points to meet with a wildlife photographer; learn about wastewater treatment in Hanover, New Hampshire; and speak with the director of the Connecticut River Conservancy in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

The students were able to learn about the landscape as they canoed through it, says Marley, who was one of the faculty leaders on the trip, along with Myunggyo Kim. Passing by farmland, wilderness, small towns, and rural settlements, they discovered the multitude of connections between the river and life in and around it, including both the people and the eagles, herons, fish, and other wildlife they encountered.

“We learned the importance of leaving no trace on the beach when we got rid of any traces of fire. We learned to be respectful of private lands of farmers and camping with their generosity,” wrote rising sophomore Laura Phyu and rising senior Alex Ahn in the trip journal entry for June 12. “After running out of fresh water, we learned the different ways of purifying water,” they noted.

Through the physical and teamwork challenges of the trip, the students also made discoveries about themselves. “We are all mastering our different strokes on the canoe and getting better at it,” Laura and Alex continued. “To prove this point, no one has capsized today! Our challenges today were keeping it consistent while paddling and staying with the group. We are excited to paddle 21 miles tomorrow and getting closer to Loomis. We are determined to achieve our goals.”

On the final paddling day, the group canoed the 10 miles from their campsite on King’s Island in Suffield, Connecticut, to the familiar Meadows at Loomis Chaffee. They pitched their tents next to the Cow Pond for their last night together, and the next morning, the group drove to Old Lyme, Connecticut, where the river empties into Long Island Sound. Completing their journey, they reflected on what they had experienced and learned before bidding farewell to each other until the fall.
 

Power of Place: Buzzards Bay and Martha’s Vineyard

The Buzzards Bay trip touched on many of the same themes as the Connecticut River program but through a different lens. In partnership with the school’s Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, the Alvord Center designed the Buzzards Bay itinerary to focus on identity and how it creates a sense of place. The trip leaders, Courtney Jackson and Stacy-Ann “Ro” Rowe ’97, both are faculty members in the Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion along with their teaching and other roles at the school.

Beginning with several days in New Bedford, the top fishing port in the United States and a city known for the ethnic and racial diversity of its residents, the group learned about the commercial fishing industry, visited historical and cultural sites, and experienced some of the rich mix of cultures in the city. A capital of the whaling industry in the 19th century, New Bedford has attracted immigrants for hundreds of years. More than half of the city’s population is of Portuguese descent, and the city also has significant Puerto Rican, Dominican, Polish, and French-Canadian communities, among others.

The students spent much of their time on the waterfront, where they witnessed a seafood auction, toured commercial fishing boats, learned about the changing workforce in the city, and took sailing lessons for first-hand experience at navigating ocean waters — or at least the harbor. They also explored the New Bedford Whaling Museum, learned about support for immigrants and other residents at a community economic development organization, and ate dinner at a local seafood restaurant, where the owner discussed the restaurant’s mission of sustainability.

“I enjoyed learning about the inner workings of a fish auction, especially watching one in real time,” wrote rising senior Maggie Hamel in the trip blog. “I also had a great time learning how to sail with my friends!”

“I was really grateful that we got the opportunity to meet with an organization [that works] with immigrants in the area and helps them find jobs, along with dozens of other things they need help with,” wrote rising sophomore Phoenix Ahipeaud.

On their final full day in the city, the group delved into the Black history of the area, taking a tour with the New Bedford Historical Society, visiting a house where Frederick Douglass lived, touring an underground railroad site, and joining a drum circle at the Cape Verde Community Center. “We also learned about the 54th regiment. It was a [Civil War infantry regiment] that enlisted Black men, and we saw their representation through murals, statues, and a park,” wrote rising juniors Jazmyne Ahipeaud and Lauren Patterson in their blog entry for the day.

A food tour of the city was a major hit with the students, who raved about the variety of foods they tried, from stuffed clams to Cape Verdean dishes.

After their adventures in New Bedford, the group traveled to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where they visited a climate research center and learned about an environmental restoration project on the Coonamessett River. Then they loaded onto a ferry and departed for Martha’s Vineyard, where they would spend the rest of their trip.

A spectacular sunset welcomed the travelers to the island, and they checked in to a hostel in the village of Menemsha.

Over the next four days, the group learned about the history of Martha’s Vineyard, including its Black and indigenous history, and about environmental and food issues on the island. A Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society museum visit, walking tour, and sunset cruise introduced the students to the variety of cultural and environmental influences on the island and the roles of the whaling industry and the treacherous seas in Martha’s Vineyard history.

On one particularly action-packed day, the travelers further learned about Black history on the island as they explored the African American Heritage Trail, visited the town of Oak Bluffs, and conversed with heritage trail staff and the vice president of the Martha’s Vineyard NAACP. Later that same day, they delved into the history of the Wampanoag tribe, spending time at a cultural center in the town of Aquinnah and sharing a traditional indigenous dinner with Wampanoag elder Kristina Hook, whose stories and advice made a strong impression.

“Kristina shared wisdom with me that I never thought could touch me in the way it did,” wrote rising sophomore Zack Donohue in a blog post at the end of the day. “I felt a connection with Kristina that cannot be described with words. Very rarely, if ever, have I walked away from an interaction a different man. I do not know how to describe it, but Kristina’s words changed me.”

“Listening to Kristina tell stories and give advice during our INCREDIBLE dinner was a one-of-a-kind experience, and I’m very happy to have met her,” wrote rising senior Mattie Wright.

Environmental issues were the focus on the group’s final full day on Martha’s Vineyard. The students spent the morning volunteering with and learning about Island Grown Initiative, a local program that works to provide affordable, locally-grown food in the community. The students helped to sort food at a food pantry and gleaned strawberries at a local farm. (Gleaning is the practice of harvesting produce that a farm, for a variety of reasons, is not planning to sell.) After volunteering, the students took a cooking class together, making spring rolls for lunch.

The group enjoyed another stunning sunset on their last evening on Martha’s Vineyard. “I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the day with picking and then making our own dinner, [eating] ice cream and watching the sunset on the beach. I am so grateful for this trip and the people I have grown closer to,” wrote rising senior Sophia Prendergast.

The students and their faculty leaders alike described the Buzzards Bay and Martha’s Vineyard trip as a powerful experience. “We focused on the ‘Power of Place’ on this trip, so the activities and itinerary focused on everything from people being displaced, living off of the land, trying to hold onto one’s culture and language, food, environmental issues, and simply connecting with others. Every day brought a deeper understanding of the people and the land that we were privileged enough to visit,” Ro wrote on the blog at the end of the trip.

Ro, who coordinated the trip blog, was surprised by many of the student participants’ entries. “What I believed to be the activity that everyone would write about as their favorite of the day was not always accurate. It was great to see which aspects of the trip really had an impact on each person,” she reflected.
 

Leadership Learning: The Adirondack Mountains and Lake George

The third Close to Home trip this summer brought 14 students — all girls — and three faculty members to the shores of Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Leadership development was the focus of the six-day experience, and the success of the all-girls trip “proved the power behind a sisterhood,” the faculty leaders wrote at the trip’s conclusion. “Fourteen students, not all friends, came together and worked through their own group dynamics … in a variety of different settings. Not to mention, too, the opportunity they had to just be kids, which they often don’t get the chance to do in our busy schedules back on the Island.”

The Alvord Center organized the trip in partnership with the school’s Norton Family Center for the Common Good. Matt Kammrath, the Keller Family Director of the Norton Center, and Lillian Corman, the Norton Center’s associate director, led the trip along with Dean of Students Michael Donegan. The inaugural director of the Norton Center, Al Freihofer ’69, also made a cameo appearance.

Home base for the trip was a lakeside YMCA retreat center in Silver Bay, New York. But before leaving Loomis Chaffee for their Adirondack adventures, the group engaged in a place-based learning activity on campus to prepare for similar activities during the trip. The students examined the history of the school and the surrounding land and learned about indigenous tribes that lived on the land before the Loomis family settled there. In the context of this history, they discussed the significance of place names and the importance of leadership.

After the long drive and their first overnight at Silver Bay, the students spent a morning with Pete Nelson, a North Country Community College professor and a co-founder of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, a local organization that works to make the Adirondacks a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents and visitors.

“We built off yesterday’s lesson about the importance of place names in leadership by visiting the ruins of Fort St. Frederic at Crown Point and by presenting our findings about the true name of Mount Marcy,” rising seniors Avery Martin and Karly Saliba reported in their blog entry for the day. “We discovered that indigenous tribes, especially the Mohawk, occupied the area before many people originally thought. Although this mountain is now named after William Marcy, the state governor at the time, it was originally called Tewawe’estha, meaning Cloud Splitter. Through our conversations, we learned about equity and empathy in leadership.”

The group followed up the morning of exploration and discussion with a mindfulness exercise on a labyrinth at Silver Bay. “Mindfulness helps leaders be calm in the face of problems — which we soon found out! After pizza, we headed downtown to an escape room,” wrote rising seniors Madison Oh and Ellie Abrams. The teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity required to “escape” from the room-sized puzzles helped the students identify their strengths and weaknesses, practice their leadership skills, and have fun.

A white-water rafting excursion awaited the students the following day. While chasing the rapids and enjoying the scenery, the students and faculty also talked about the name of the Indian River on which they were rafting and how it could be renamed.

After their rafting adventures, the group visited Al Freihofer and his partner, Peg McCarty, at their lakeside house. “Al and Peggy spoiled us with boat rides on Lake George in a 102-year-old boat, a homemade dinner, and porch conversations,” the trip blog reported. “While reflecting under a beautiful double rainbow, we realized how valuable it is to slow down and admire the world around you.”

In the ensuing days, the students participated in a mixture of active outdoor challenges and more introspective lessons and activities. They hiked, did trail work for the Lake George Land Conservancy, navigated a low ropes course at Silver Bay, and braved a high ropes course. Insights into leadership and community-building emerged as the students reflected — often around campfires or in camp chairs looking out on Lake George — on all of the group activities. After navigating the high ropes course, rising senior Hana Bois reflected, “I thought it would be much less teamwork compared to the low ropes course. After, I realized it was not an individual activity and we worked together. Working our way through levels one to four was difficult at times. We needed to recognize when others were struggling and needed help.”

As they considered what worked and what didn’t work in the group’s efforts to overcome challenges, they practiced key skills such as offering and receiving constructive criticism, perceiving group dynamics, and resolving conflicts. And they discussed the importance of both leadership and followership and the different approaches to these roles.

One fireside exercise helped each student identify her own leadership style based on whether her personal characteristics defined her most as a “harmonizer,” “driver,” “energizer,” or “analyzer.” The students discovered that no single leadership type is best, as rising juniors Liv Dunlea and Elena Higgins noted in their June 10 blog entry: “We learned about how different leadership styles are important and bring different skills that balance each other.”

After six days of adventure and discovery, the group packed up and loaded into their Loomis Chaffee “toaster” — a term of endearment for the school’s mini-buses — for the drive back to the Island.

The faculty chaperones looked back on the trip with pride in the students’ good work and personal growth. “These 14 rising juniors and seniors were already qualified to lead and to follow with purpose,” they wrote. “Now, though, with some more introspection and intentional reflection and group discussion, we are confident that they will return to campus in the fall ready to serve our community and leave behind a legacy from which their peers will benefit.”

The Alvord Center plans to resume its international education programs in the coming year, but, based on the success of the summer’s Close to Home trips, Marley says the center also hopes to incorporate more domestic programs among the future offerings. After all, adventure and discovery are just a toaster ride away.