By Max LaPradeDeer Hill has been running wilderness and service expeditions in the American Southwest since 1984 and has been specializing in culminating trips for Waldorf schools since 2008.
Our customizable programming focuses on themes of group development, self-realization, sense of place, and individual empowerment. Through backcountry travel and a cultural exchange element on the Navajo Nation or Hopi and Zuni Pueblos, we implement a holistic learning experience using a curriculum based on both hard and soft skills.
It is truly a pleasure for me to put together culminating trips for 8th and 12th grade Waldorf classes. Every year, I help a dozen or so classes and I have the opportunity to get to know teachers from all over the country; there is joy in helping people create a truly meaningful and unique experience for their class. One thing that sets Deer Hill apart from other programs is our cross-cultural learning and service portion of the program. Groups stay with and work alongside members of native communities with rich stories to tell, crafts and arts to share, and insights into traditional ways of life that are otherwise very difficult to glean for people outside of these communities.
While it is more common for classes to plan these trips in the spring, we are seeing more interest in trips in the fall at the beginning of the school year - mostly in late August and September. I would like to share a few reasons why a fall trip may be advantageous or especially meaningful for your class.
Benefits of Fall Programs:
This is a relationship that changes lives, opens doors, and creates lasting memories for the students, teachers, and even our staff.
Interested in booking a trip with us? Please contact Alex George at [email protected] or visit our website and fill out a custom group program inquiry form!
Our customizable programming focuses on themes of group development, self-realization, sense of place, and individual empowerment. Through backcountry travel and a cultural exchange element on the Navajo Nation or Hopi and Zuni Pueblos, we implement a holistic learning experience using a curriculum based on both hard and soft skills.
It is truly a pleasure for me to put together culminating trips for 8th and 12th grade Waldorf classes. Every year, I help a dozen or so classes and I have the opportunity to get to know teachers from all over the country; there is joy in helping people create a truly meaningful and unique experience for their class. One thing that sets Deer Hill apart from other programs is our cross-cultural learning and service portion of the program. Groups stay with and work alongside members of native communities with rich stories to tell, crafts and arts to share, and insights into traditional ways of life that are otherwise very difficult to glean for people outside of these communities.
While it is more common for classes to plan these trips in the spring, we are seeing more interest in trips in the fall at the beginning of the school year - mostly in late August and September. I would like to share a few reasons why a fall trip may be advantageous or especially meaningful for your class.
Benefits of Fall Programs:
- The primary reason we see classes coming in the fall is when there is a new classroom teacher or an influx of new students. Our 9 or 10 day river and service programs are a unique and powerful foundation for group development and for establishing trust.
- Another benefit to planning your trip in the fall is that it is easier to schedule a program during your ideal dates. This is because things are much quieter at Deer Hill and on the rivers that we operate on, with the high season typically being from May through July.
- Finally, the weather in the Southwest is most consistent in the fall - it is arguably the most beautiful season of the year! Changing colors, balmy temperatures, and little chance for high winds or precipitation all make for a dreamy float down the beautiful San Juan or Green River in Southeastern Utah.
This is a relationship that changes lives, opens doors, and creates lasting memories for the students, teachers, and even our staff.
Interested in booking a trip with us? Please contact Alex George at [email protected] or visit our website and fill out a custom group program inquiry form!
