Late this fall, just before the snow overtook campus, Brattleboro-based High 5 Adventure Learning was onsite installing a low ropes challenge course at Thetford Academy. The course, located on the Barrett property adjacent to the Thetford Hill State Forest, has twelve features that will challenge students to think creatively, work...
By, Caleb MacNeil People have asked me what are some of the most important things to know about the Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education class at TA. One of my responses is that a key component of the class is the fires. During the first fires of the year, Scott Ellis...
By Kaydence Rich The Thetford Academy Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education class visited Mike Hebb at his home in Strafford, Vermont on September 26th. Mike is a Thetford Academy alumnus, class of 64’ and very knowledgeable about a variety of topics. We visited his house to see how he cares for...
By Brennan Vaughan The Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education course went to Zebedee Wetlands in October of 2019. Zebedee is managed by The UpperValley Land Trust and is a popular bird watching area in Thetford, VT. At Zebedee there is a trail that surrounds a swamp. On the field trip,...
By Faith Crowe Students in the Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education course read a book called Reading the Forested Landscapes by Tom Wessels. This book is about the land we live in and what’s shaped the land. The book shows the reader how they can find clues in the forest that...
By Kai Harris What is a seven minute free write? Seven minute free writes are a time where the whole Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education Program class sits down and writes for seven minutes without stopping. There is always a prompt but what follows that prompt is up to the writer....
By, Madison Hatch This year, the Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education course did a unit on studying apples and apple cider. Each student participated in collecting a variety of apples from different locations, making cider and conducting a lab. My favorite part was getting to taste the freshly made cider. Surprisingly,...
By, Liam Patterson What is Buckthorn? Buckthorn is an invasive species located in many parts of New England. Here, in Thetford Vermont, buckthorn is very prominent on the school property and in the State Forest. One of the classes here at TA called, Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education, plans to do...
By Charles Longshaw This reflection is from an overnight solo experience for Thetford Academy’s Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education Program. We were out in the wilderness, trying to see if we could make it through the whole night alone with limited materials. All I chose to bring with me were warm...
By Ethan Howe In the Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education course, a major component of the class is “solos.” Solos are a designated time each week where students return to their solo spot and spend reflective time alone in the wilderness. A solo spot is a quiet place in the forest...