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Life at True North
Our model for daily living is all about creating
success through personal responsibility. The
outdoor environment provides natural challenges
that students must face in order to progress
through the program. While moving through the
program students will be living in cozy yurts,
expedition style wall tents, or shelters made
using their own creativity. Students live in
small groups where they are able to establish
close relationships and receive the individual
attention they need from our staff. Students are
responsible for maintaining their environment,
self-care, and contributing to the needs of
their group.
After honing their camping skills,
and establishing open communication within their
group, students have the opportunity to venture
into the beautiful Breadloaf Wilderness Area,
which was the inspiration for Robert Frost’s
famous poem, “The Road Less Traveled”, as well
as other stunning forest areas in the region. A
variety of other expeditions are arranged
according to student interest and treatment
goals. They may include skiing or snowboarding,
dog-sledding, maple sugaring (seasonally),
kayaking, horse-back riding, and more. Our goal
is to meet students in their present state and
help them to reach appropriate and realistic
goals regardless of learning style and past
experiences.
True North’s base camp area is set on a
picturesque hillside retreat, which is located
in the mountains above the beautiful Mad River
Valley. Here students have the opportunity to
roll up their sleeves and get involved in a
number of classic Vermont experiential
activities. Whether they are tending to the
gardens, orchards, and berry patches in the warm
weather or strapping on snowshoes or skis in the
winter months, our students will have ample
opportunity to discover new and exciting
challenges. They are able to see the academic
subjects in their curriculum come to life in the
environment around them. Geology, ecology,
astronomy, biology, physical science, and more
are all taught through a hands-on style that is
supported by our curriculum.
A typical
day includes
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Hiking or snowshoeing through
the forests and valleys surrounding
our base camp
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Participating in camping and
outdoor living skills including
primitive fire building, animal
tracking, and map and compass
navigation
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Preparation for and
participation in a group expedition
such as alpine skiing, dog-sledding,
horseback-riding, or backpacking
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Focused experiential education
including curriculum work and
outdoor classes relating to a
variety of subjects including
geology, plant, tree, and animal
identification, local and regional
history, or Abenaki culture
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Group initiatives designed to
foster teamwork, leadership, and
relational skills
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Group processing opportunities
that allow students to identify
progress toward personal goals,
resolve challenges in the group
dynamic, and improve relationships
and communication skills
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Personal time to reflect and
work on completing creative writing
and curriculum projects
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Seasonal outdoor activities
including working in the extensive
gardens and orchards surrounding our
mountain retreat, maple-sugaring, or
maintaining our bird sanctuary
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