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In keeping with annual tradition, this past week Charles River School seventh and eighth grade students kicked off their year by visiting The Farm School in Athol, Massachusetts. The Farm’s mission is to involve children directly in our responsibility as stewards of the earth through active involvement on a working farm.
This trip enables the students to establish group bonds that will support close collaboration throughout the year. In a typical day at The Farm School, teams of students work closely with the Farm experts to tackle tasks in forestry and land management, gardening, and livestock maintenance. They’re caring for animals in the barn before breakfast in the morning, tending to the crops and gardens, and sweeping out their bunk rooms.
During an “options” period, students have the opportunity to try their hand at a variety of crafts and skills; this year’s options included making jam, grooming goats, playing with calves and blacksmithing. Students also take time for reflection through creative writing and drawing activities.
In their own words, students’ highlights from this year included: “Bunking with the large group of girls was a really fun bonding experience!”
“Blacksmithing was awesome! It was a safe, real-life experience that I had only read about it the past.”
“I made new friends with seventh graders by doing farm work together in our groups,” said one eighth grader.
