Raising entrepreneurs

The Jurgensen’s Toolkit class met with Jim Geller ’75 (in hat, far left) for a BBQ to celebrate an exciting marketing partnership.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunn alum Jim Geller ’75, President and CEO of Gellar International, got a phone call from a place he hadn’t visited nor thought about in years. On the other end of the phone was Chad Stacy, Dunn School’s CFO and co-instructor of a unique student-centric business class. Chad asked Jim if he’d be interested in collaborating on a project with his alma mater.

Six months later, Jim showed up to campus carrying a cooler filled with the finest cuts of meat and twice-baked potatoes. He lit the wood-fired grill and thanked students in person for their collaboration. He shared that their marketing ideas for his new line of salty Asian snacks were among some of the best he has seen in his career.

His enthusiasm was real. The student experience was high stakes and collaborative. The resulting growth was amazing for both the students and Jim. The renewed connection between an alum and his alma mater will last a lifetime.

During his time as a Dunn student, Jim Gellar was inspired to pursue his business passions. A former teacher encouraged him to study in Asia, and while abroad he was drawn to the unique foods he discovered. He has spent his career building a business based on the import/export of foods between Asia and the United States. His big business break came when he brought wagyu beef from Japan to America and landed an exclusive supplier relationship with the famous Bay Area restaurant, The French Laundry. Now as a business executive, Jim has been excited to connect again with Dunn students and inspire the next generation of business leaders.

Jim’s story at Dunn mirrors the experience of so many Dunn alumni through the years who have embraced the Ne Tentes Aut Perfice spirit. Mike Boone ’79 was mentored by teacher and Dunn’s first business manager, Robert W. Jurgensen, to pursue entrepreneurship as a creative career. Mike went on to invent and market the white board, the battery-powered flickering candle, and the Cremo line of men’s grooming products. He credits much of his success to the relationship he built with and the instruction he received from “Jurgy.” His gratitude to Jurgy and his appreciation for Dunn’s current commitment to teaching entrepreneurship inspired him to donate a multi-year, seven-figure gift to expand the school’s program and reach more students with a deeper curriculum.

Now in the first year as an expanded and re-branded Robert W. Jurgensen Entrepreneurship Program, the school is reaching 62 students, versus 18 in the year prior. Dunn has added four additional classes plus a summer camp to the program, and the students are engaging in deep topics including investing, business management, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, philosophy, and power dynamics.

Chad Stacy, now the Director of this visionary program, is always on the lookout for the next business partner to connect with his students. Perhaps you are a successful entrepreneur, investor, or philanthropist, or know of former classmates who might be interested? Chad would love to talk to you about the possibility of a collaborative project with our current students.

Changein Residence

Tony Dunn’s vision of the boarding school he founded in 1957 described a community that “imparts... the desire for knowledge,” a community that “abhors the Educationists and welcomes the Educator.”

Our new Director of Residential Life, Toby Castle, is the sort of educator that Tony had in mind. He recognizes the need for a whole student residential program that thrives “by placing students at the center of authentic, communal, immersive challenges;” a residential program that creates “opportunities that not only grow students’ confidence, but also cultivates their intellectual curiosity and build deep, long-lasting friendships.”

Before arriving at Dunn, Toby served as the Associate Head of School at Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys in Maryland, and as an educator and administrator at The Scots College and St. Luke’s Grammar School in his native Sydney, Australia. In all these roles, Toby’s work focused on building and rebuilding residential programs based on character education and development of the whole student.

In the short time that Toby has been a part of the administration at Dunn, he has introduced some new structural and philosophical approaches to the residential program, designed to provide an optimal context in which the professional community can nurture and support boarding students.

Toby says, “It is the responsibility of the teacher and the teaching community to recognize that a student’s emotional and social wellbeing can facilitate or impede their academic engagement, application, commitment, and ultimately their school success. The quality of a student’s relationships, the structure behind their social processes, and the philosophy that undergirds their collective agency affects how and why they learn in all spheres of life.” It is the residential boarding program that contributes to this ecosystem of formation and why we’re thankful to have Toby and his family part of the Dunn School community.

And now Toby and his wife Kelley have embarked on the greatest of their adventures by recently welcoming their daughter, Ada Joy. We are thrilled to have the Castle family as a part of the campus community and privileged to have Toby as our inaugural Director of Residential Life.

DMS CHARGES AHEAD

The 2022-23 academic year at DMS is both a time for change and for reviving old traditions.

Notably, longtime DMS Head Simon Sweeney has transitioned to become Associate Head of School for Curriculum and Learning. In his stead, Christy Nordgren has taken the reins at DMS after over a decade at Dunn School, serving in various capacities including MS/US English Teacher, Summer Director, 12th Grade Dean, and DMS Athletic Director.

Moving on from a few COVID-hampered years, DMS hit the ground running. The year started with its traditional opening week camping trip, followed by much-loved events such as the Barn Dance, Try-athlon, Astronomy night, 8th Grade San Francisco trip, and 7th Grade Pinnacles trip. Also back for the first time since 2019 is everyone’s favorite: internships!

A recent (past 5 years), but valuable process is our capstone project for 8th Grade students. Mentored by STEM Department Chair Meg West and Social Studies teacher Bob Perez, students identify a problem within the school or greater community, and over the course of the year, they formulate solutions. This culminates with a presentation to teachers, classmates, and school community members.

New to DMS this year is the inclusion of Art as a core academic class, as well as the Academic Adventure Week. The Academic Adventure Week takes place in December, and students choose from a variety of topics such as Marine Biology or Economics in an experiential learning environment.

What hasn’t changed is DMS’s commitment to the growth of each student through an adaptive and engaging program. Students are faced with appropriate challenges and are encouraged to push themselves at every turn, all the while being supported by their peers.

FINDING COMMUNITY

8th Grade student Ellie Coulter faces challenges and gets back up.

Ahead of the 2020-2021 school year, in the throes of the pandemic, Ellie and her family moved from Orange County to the Santa Ynez Valley. With this change, Ellie didn’t know what to expect for her 6th grade year. By her own admission, Ellie planned to be at her previous school from kindergarten to 8th Grade, so the transition was both unexpected and difficult.

Starting that school year at DMS, Ellie met her classmates via Zoom, finding small points of connection with peers virtually, while dealing with patchy internet and interloping snakes. She quickly learned that most of her classmates were already familiar with one another.

Once on campus, Ellie recalls one of the first breaks between classes. “A large group was sitting together, so I went over and sat nearby. Then someone turned and invited me into the circle. It was hard, and a bit exciting, so I just had to throw myself in there.”

Over the next few years, Ellie faced several challenges. She found that these made her grow as a person and also grow to bond better with classmates.

An early challenge was during one of her first DMS bike rides. While cycling on a path in front of Mattei’s Tavern, Ellie’s front tire lost traction, and she fell into the dirt. As she sat on the ground, a few weeks into a strange school, she started to ponder the choices that got her to this moment.

In a way, her next move would exemplify her time at DMS. Ellie decided to get up, get back on the bike, and tough it out. As she said, “What else to do but get back on the bike?”

While the next few miles and future rides were tough, and while there were a few more falls, Ellie grew from this experience, and now almost enjoys biking.

Further adventurous challenges bonded her and her classmates – OE trips to Gaviota Peak and Pinnacles – as well as increasing difficulty in classes. Over time, these shared experiences bring them together as a community, and as high school beckons, strengthens the bonds.

Jodi Pitts, P’26

Santa Ynez, CA. Appointment: 2020

Jodi attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where she graduated with a degree in marketing from the business school. She worked in Public Relations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts in New York, and is currently a director at Colony Capital, planning and overseeing their annual investor conference. A native of the Santa Ynez Valley, Jodi and her family own and run Happy Canyon Vineyard.

Maria Zhang P’23

Palo Alto, CA. Appointment: 2020

Maria Zhang is Vice President of Engineering for Google. Prior to Google, Maria has been Vice President of Engineering for both Meta and LinkedIn. Maria worked as CTO at Tinder, where she built a world-class team of engineers and scaled the app to serve a rapidly growing global user base. Maria also worked as Vice President of Engineering for Yahoo Mobile, and managed teams at Microsoft, Zillow and NetIQ Corp. She also founded Alike, a mobile local recommendation app, which was later acquired by Yahoo. She studied Computer Science at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor and Master’s degree.

Karen Anderson, P’22

Los Altos, CA. Appointment: 2021

Karen is the General Counsel at Verifone, the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. Before joining Verifone, she led litigation groups at Flextronics International and Intuit. She also represented technology companies in a wide variety of intellectual property, commercial, and employment disputes as a litigation attorney at Fenwick & West. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Princeton University.

Randall Day

Los Olivos, CA. Appointment: 2021

The Rev. Dr. Randall Day has served as Rector of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos since 2008. He has served on the boards of many church, community, and governmental organizations through 37 years of ordained ministry and has developed and implemented a range of programs to address community needs. Currently, Randall also serves on the board and several committees of the Santa Barbara Foundation and was named Santa Ynez Valley Man of the Year in 2019. In addition to extensive board governance experience, Randall brings countywide community relationships as well as connections with Dunn School families.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2022-2023

Executive Committee

Guy R. Walker ’76, P’05 | Chair of the Board

Kalyan A. Balaven | Head of School

Stephane de Bord ’90 | Vice Chair | Executive, Finance, and Building & Grounds Committees

Karen Anderson, P’22 | Secretary | Executive and Audit Commitees

Trustees

Whitney Arnautou, P’14 | Development & Alumni Relations Committee

Yong-Ling Beiman, P’20 | Finance and Admissions & Marketing Committees

Mike Boone ’79 | Admissions & Marketing and Head Support & Evaluation Committees

Justin Ching ’07 | Admissions & Marketing and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committees

A proud member of the Class of 2008, Jon graduated from Claremont McKenna with a dual major in International Relations and Philosophy. In partnership with fellow Dunn alum and classmate Alex Forster ’08, Jon co-founded Ironwood Hospitality Partners, which specializes in revitalizing distressed hotels across the country. He also serves as a Director of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Stephane de Bord ’90

San Francisco, CA. Appointment: 2021

Stephane attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, and then Fordham University where he earned his MBA. Stephane started his career in finance working for JP Morgan Chase in New York City and then spent six years working for a private equity firm in San Francisco. Today, Stephane spends his time on entrepreneurial projects primarily in the energy and transportation sectors. He also spent over 10 years as a Board Member of the French American and International School and was the Treasurer for a good part of his tenure there. A champion of creating communities and opportunities for children, Steve Dini has been working in and around schools for more than 30 years. Currently, Steve is Director of Advancement at the French American and International School in San Francisco, a PK-12 independent school with 1,100 students. He also served as Director of Alumni Relations, Annual Fund and Athletics at Dunn School. Steve was also an accomplished lacrosse coach at every level from youth, high school, club, and at the NCAA Div. II level. He holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico.

Autumn Badelt- Fanning ’99, P ’28

San Francisco, CA. Appointment: 2022

Dr. Autumn Badelt-Fanning grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley. She was a prefect at Dunn School and graduated with the honor of the Trophy of Excellence in 1999. She received a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Oregon State University and became the Founder and CEO of her own mobile veterinary service in 2010. The business was recently acquired by national organization BetterVets, and Autumn is serving as Regional Operations Director for the California region.

Randall Day | Buildings & Grounds and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committees

Jonathan Sutton Day ’08 | Development & Alumni Relations Committee and Strategic Planning Task Force

Steve Dini ’89 | Development & Alumni Relations Committee

Autumn Badelt-Fanning ’99, P ’28 | Development & Alumni Relations Committee and Strategic Planning Task Force

Jim Gaskin ’71 | Buildings and Grounds Committee Debbie Jones, P’09, ’11, and ’14 | Governance and Head Support & Evaluation Committees

Jodi Pitts, P’26 | Governance, Audit and Head Support & Evaluation Committees

Morton Sullivan ’64 | Development & Alumni Relations Committee

Maria Zhang, P’23 | Admissions & Marketing and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committees, Strategic Planning Task Force

Honorary Trustees

Wally Haas ’68 Dr. Robert Fabricant ’66, P’00 Bill DuBois ’80

Emeritus

Tim Bliss, P’04 Bill Jackson ’80

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE BOARDROOM

A conversation with trustees Steve Dini ’89 and Stephane de Bord ’90 as they reflect on their experiences as Dunn students

Q: What words would you use to describe yourself as a student?

Stephane de Bord ’90: I came to Dunn primarily because the school offered kids additional scholastic support. I was a Learning Strategies (LS) student when the department was run by its founder Nancy Roome. I also struggled because English was not my first language. Dunn offered me a safe place where I could build on my scholastic skills with the support I needed. While at Dunn, I could see myself becoming a better student; my writing skills and ability to think critically improved.

Steve Dini ’89: Before I arrived at Dunn, I felt like an outsider from traditional education. At that time, I would describe myself as frustrated, left behind, misunderstood, and an outcast. As soon as I arrived at Dunn, my educational journey changed. Like Stephane, I was also a student in the LS program. Once in that program, I’d describe myself as seen, heard, understood, challenged, valued, and cared for. Before Dunn, I didn’t think of myself as a student. But Dunn helped me become the student I was meant to be, an inquisitive and active learner.

SdB: No, I didn’t think I would serve as a trustee back then. However, I was very aware that the school helped me tremendously and in many ways shaped me to be who I am today. As I progressed down the path of life, I realized more and more how important it was to give back to the school that gave me such great friendships and prepared me so well for college and beyond.

SD: I’d have to agree with Stephane. As a student at Dunn, I had no optics into who the trustees were or what they did. Yes, I had seen them on campus, but I never interacted with them. It wasn’t until much later that I understood the importance of board service.

Q: Now as a trustee, what about Dunn School is important to you?

SdB: Dunn is a very different place today than it was when I attended. Looking back, it reminds me how, as time moves on, places change because people change. That being said, I believe Dunn has successfully adapted to change, all the while keeping its mission of educating kids from all walks of life. Some students, like me, need to be in the LS program, and others don’t need that extra academic support. Some are into sports and others into the arts. Dunn values these kids no matter how different they might be, which I believe is important. When I walk around campus these days, I feel really proud of this institution and that it still manages to successfully and positively impact students’ lives on a daily basis.

SD: I feel a huge sense of responsibility to ensure the future success of Dunn. I want Dunn to be the best at whatever it takes on. I’m not a fan of the term “best kept secret,” and I feel that Dunn has struggled with the moniker for as long as I’ve known the school. I’m competitive by nature, and I’ve always believed that Dunn should take its seat as one of the best schools in the state. I hope that while I’m on the board, we can achieve this together.

Stephane de Bord ’90 Steve Dini ’89

Q: With more insight into how the school operates, and all that goes into it, what would you tell your younger self?

SdB: As I’m sure many alumni will agree, it’s a little sad that our younger selves don’t fully appreciate what we had at Dunn School. I didn’t fully appreciate the dedicated teachers, many of whom were overqualified. I’ve since learned that they taught us high school students because that’s what they loved to do. I would tell my younger self to take advantage of all the school has to offer, both academically and socially. It was really a unique time in my life, and in reflection, so brief.

SD: To be honest, I’d tell my younger self to go talk to the board and say these three things: 1. Build endowment. By doing this from the school’s start, it would help ensure the future of the school. 2. Keep your core identity and traditions. Schools that have a strong identity linked with traditions do not waver over time. Those common threads that bind multiple generations of alumni and faculty to the institution are critical to its long-term success. Boarding schools especially have a unique position to create such a special place rich with these traditions. 3. Be bold. Tony Dunn founded Dunn School to be a different type of school, one that built young people of strong character and purpose. To be bold, you need to be confident, to achieve you need to try. That in its core is what Ne Tentes Aut Perfice means to me, and I strongly believe the school should never waver from this.

Q: Any other thoughts to share?

SdB: I’m really proud and happy of where the school has been, and where I think it will be going over the next ten to 65 years. Dunn is still one of the few boarding schools on the West Coast that offers a welcoming environment for students who might not be a fit for more stereotypical prep schools. These kids will thrive and be understood for who they are.

SD: I agree with Stephane. Dunn changes peoples lives! In my professional career, I’ve had the unique opportunity to meet Dunn graduates from all eras. It’s amazing to make these connections and the one thing that rings true for everyone is that Dunn changed their life for the better. Knowing that Dunn also did that for me makes me especially proud of the work we are doing on the board. GO EARWIGS!

Welcome

Home!

In late August, we welcomed over 150 students and their families to the Upper School campus, kicking off the 2022-2023 school year.

Student leaders and members of the professional community guided new and returning students through signing up for classes, learning about which sports they could play, preparation for the Outdoor Ed trips, and of course a bit of fun with the Carnival.

What a way to get the party started!

Dunn’s been everywhere, man…

Our mighty Admissions team has been hitting the pavement – and the road, rails, and skies – spreading the good word about Dunn School.

Secondary school admissions is a relationship-based business that relies on the power of human connection and relationship building. So it’s all about getting real face time, no matter the distance.

cities visited worldwide

School visits up from 2021 32% 39

airports traveled through

47

87

collective days on the road Presented to different schools41

Achieving for UKRAINE

Kseniia Naumova, 9th Grade Lev Prosvietin and Matvii Bakhmatov, 12th Grade

“What can we do?” This was the question Dunn School administrators asked while the world watched the horrors unfolding as Russia began its invasion into Ukraine in February 2022. We immediately waived tuition for our only Ukrainian student, but we knew we could do more. We couldn’t help but think of the innocent students whose education was upended and the uncertainty they must be experiencing.

In response, we established the Ukrainian Student Scholarship Fund. Reaching out to education representatives in Eastern Europe, our school connected with Ukrainian students who needed a safe, welcoming, and nurturing place to learn, live, and thrive. We turned “What can we do?” into Ne Tentes Aut Perfice, because we are Dunn School.

August 2022 arrived and with it five students from Ukraine, now living and studying on Dunn’s campus, with a sixth Ukrainian student expected mid-year.

Welcoming these students to Dunn was possible because of support from the school’s friends, parents, alumni, and members of the professional community who spread the word, made generous donations, and lifted their paddle for the Ukrainian Student Scholarship Fund at our 2022 Spring Gala.

Ne Tentes Aut Perfice. Do not simply try, but achieve.

Thank you from all of us. You made a difference.

To support the continued need to provide financial assistance to Dunn School’s Ukrainian students, please consider making a gift to the scholarship fund: www.dunnschool.org/ukraine.

A Promising Class of 2026

The incoming freshman class for the 2022-23 school year is one of the largest and strongest in Dunn School’s recent history, with 42 students.

Combined with a solid rising 8th Grade class from DMS, we added students from regions including the Bay Area, Cambria, Illinois, Los Angeles, Montecito, Seattle, Uganda, Ukraine, and Vail (among others).

The recent admissions year brought incredible athletes, artists, and academics who have already garnered praise and recognition from Dunn’s professional community.

FALL SPORTS ROUNDUP

It was an active, competitive, and challenging season for Earwig student-athletes, who took to the fields, courts, and running trails to represent Dunn School against rivals inside and outside the Tri-County Athletic Association (TCAA). During athletic hours, student-actors honed their chops on stage, producing and performing a play before a public audience at the Nancy Luton Jackson Barn.

CROSS COUNTRY

The boys team, one of the largest in recent years with 22 students, ran its way into qualifying for the preliminary round of the CIF-Southern Section Championships at Mt. San Antonio College with a clutch topfour finish at the league finals. Isaac Bakwira, Alexander Grenier, and Matthew Musson all earned All-League Honorable Mention honors. Three freshmen girls — Ava Loper-Benson, Fallon McKee, and Margaret Watson — were also named Honorable Mention All-League.

ULTIMATE FRISBEE

While not TCAA-sponsored, Ultimate Frisbee had its finest season yet, getting an unprecedented number of players, as nearly 30 Dunn students came aboard the team. The Earwigs had never before beaten archrival Cate, but this fall, they defeated the Rams in a three-match sweep. Sophomore Xuan Fu (David) Li won the team’s Most Valuable Player award.

VOLLEYBALL

Other coaches might consider winning one match in the season a lean year, but varsity head coach Isabella Marshall ’18 said she’s proud of what her girls accomplished. “Everybody grew individually and the team grew exponentially with their relationships on and off the court,” Marshall said. “The season was full of learning and laughter.” With a total of 33 players on both the junior varsity and varsity teams, Dunn’s girls volleyball squad was its largest ever. Team MVP Karis Ford earned Second Team All-League honors, while co-captains Sophia Lawrence and Quinby Janes, and Alex Gorski were All-League Honorable Mentions.

The 2022 Varsity Girls Volleyball team.

TENNIS

Two girls scored victories on the court for their play and attracted TCAA notice. Flori Prause and Cambria Rheinschild got nods for Second Team All-League performances.

BASEBALL

The team used the fall months to have returning and potential new players take part in an intense skills building and conditioning regimen and compete in intrasquad practice games. For some students, this fall’s program served as their first introduction to the sport.

DRAMA

Dunn student stage players spent their daily athletic hours — and some weekends — on their craft. The cast learned, then rehearsed, and ultimately staged an adaptation of playwright David Lindsay-Abaire’s edgy, dark comedy, “Wonder of the World.” The play was performed at the Nancy Luton Jackson Barn, in front of a public audience over two weekends, including shows during the Fall Family Festival.

The 2022 Boys Ultimate Frisbee team.

Earwigs with TCAA All-League Honors

Volleyball

Second Team All-League: • Karis Ford, 12th grade

Honorable Mention All-League: • Alex Gorski, 12th grade • Quinby Janes, 12th grade • Sophia Lawrence, 12th grade

Tennis

Second Team All-League: • Cambria Rheinschild, 9th grade • Flori Prause, 10th grade

Cross Country

Honorable Mention All-League: • Isaac Bakwira, 9th grade • Alexander Grenier, 11th grade • Ava Loper-Benson, 9th grade • Fallon McKee, 9th grade • Matthew Musson, 11th grade • Margaret Watson, 9th grade

A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic was that many sought greener pastures outside of cities’ concrete jungles. A Maryland native, Mike Chapman and his family arrived at Dunn in the fall of 2021 in search of more space and a change in scenery.

In addition to the move, Mike sought a career pivot, aiming to blend his passion for the outdoors with his love of teaching. Dunn’s Outdoor Education program was in need of a new Director, so the match was made.

Mike’s love for the outdoors and travel was found through a myriad of experiences, notably time spent as an English Education Volunteer for the Peace Corps in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and during more than 10 years as an Infantry Officer in the Marine Corps Reserve. Mike also worked in International Affairs for the Department of State and Department of Defense before making the leap to full-time education at St. John’s College High School where he served as an instructor for the Cadet Corps Leadership Program.

When asked why he cares so much about outdoor education, especially in a school environment, Mike shared, “I’ve witnessed the power of outdoor field experiences leading to group cohesiveness and teamwork.”

“During Marine Corps training, shared adversity in field training environments would help unify people of different ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultures. Being part of this dynamic and important experience is what drove me to want to recreate a similar outdoor educational experience for youth.”

As a fan of Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound, Mike truly believes in this quote from Hahn, “There is more in us than we know if we could be made to see it; perhaps, for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.”

Mike is enthusiastic about his duty is to ensure that each and every student at Dunn has the opportunity to “see it” in the incredible California wilderness. He’s proud to stand on the shoulders of Hahn and those who built and grew Dunn’s OE program over nearly four decades, and he looks towards this program’s unique present and promising future.

THE JOURNEY AND THE DESTINATION:

Students Delight in Outdoor Education

To say August was a busy month for the Dunn Outdoor Education Program

would be a major understatement. In a three-week span, all seven grades in the school embarked on four separate trips to open the 2022-2023 academic year.

Dunn Middle School students continued their tradition of camping before classes, with an oceanfront trip to Veterans Memorial Park in Monterey, while the Outdoor Education department paired 9th and 12th graders for a backpacking orientation trip to Yosemite National Park.

continued...

Juniors explored the Southern Sierra Nevada mountain range, backpacking in the trails around Jennie Lakes, Cottonwood Lakes, and Rae Lakes, and sophomores ventured to Santa Cruz Island, in Channel Islands National Park for a week of snorkeling, sea cave kayaking, day hiking, and service learning.

For Pamayah Hibbert, a sophomore, snorkeling while on the Channel Islands trip helped grow her confidence.

“Swimming out in the ocean and being underwater looking at the kelp forest scared me at first,” Pamayah said. “But doing it and knowing I could do it again felt great. It was good to get out of my comfort zone.”