Fifth and sixth graders from The Dorset School offer home-truths rarely delivered by the young and phone-obsessed generation: “Sometimes it just makes sense to put down your cell phone and get outside,” says one. “We live in Vermont with natural beauty all around us,” adds another. “I like that our work allows everyone to take advantage of it.”
These insights came fresh on the heels of the school’s twice yearly project with the Green Mountain Club to clean up debris on a local stretch of Vermont’s famous Long Trail. This hiking path dates back a century and served as an inspiration for the building of the Appalachian Trail. In Southern Vermont the two tracks share 100 miles through the Green Mountains.
“Our kids take great pride in their work maintaining this important hiking trail,” says TDS fifth grade teacher Karli Love. “It’s become an annual tradition that everyone looks forward to.”
This spring the TDS crew cleaned up 3.5 miles of the Long Trail. They removed fallen branches and restored the natural water bars, which drain water from the famous footpath. “We use a hoe to clear the path so water does not collect in low places,” says one student. “It’s a bit like cleaning gutters on a roof or removing a beaver dam to let the water flow.”
“Working on the trail results in a different type of learning for our students,” says sixth grade teacher Katherine Monahan. “Someone more reserved in the classroom, becomes more engaging once outside the four walls of the school. We face different challenges and it offers a chance to show some spirit or grit and we all take notice.”
While the students do the bulk of the work, they are joined by parent volunteers, members of the Green Mountain Club, and TDS staff, which leads to a more collaborative effort and added benefits. “I love the chance to work on a school project for the community with my dad,” says a sixth grader. “It makes us both proud.”
(Above photo: Students, parents, and Green Mountain Club volunteers take in the natural beauty of Vermont.)
The Dorset School work crew on the road to the Long Trail.
Dorset School students and a parent volunteer stand ready to work clearing the Long Trail.
Lunch on the rocks for Dorset School students and a parent volunteer as they work on the Long Trail.
Fifth graders use a hoe to clear the trail of debris so water does not collect in low places.
Fifth graders from the Dorset School check out a crevice in a rock formation on the Long Trail.
The Dorset School delegation of 5th and 6th graders assemble to start work clearing the Long Trail.
These Dorset School girls put down their phones to enjoy time outside on the Long Trail.