Midland Mirror

ByJay‘26

LosOlivos,California April2025

CampusEvacuatedDuetoFloodWarning

InearlyFebruary,facultyandtheschooladministrationeyed weather forecasts nervously as the school launched into MIDterms.Asrainpredictionsrose,HeadofSchoolHannah Nelson made the tough call on day two of MIDterm. The students found out on Monday. Art faculty Faith Nygren remarked that “there was some excitement–and also some disappointment” While students were definitely sad to not finishtheirexperientiallearningprogramming,manywerealso lookingforwardtoseeingtheirfamiliesafewdaysearlyaftera lovable–ifslightlylaborious–-andlongtermofhardwork

Thenewdebrisdam.PhotobyJacobGrant

Afteradayofpacking,studentsweresenthomeWednesday–the samedaythatthecountyputoutanevacuationorderforour area and the rains started Proper planning paid off, and the diasporaofstudentsdrivingoffwiththeirfamiliesallmadeit homesafely,rightbeforetheheavyrainsandmudslides.“Iwas fine,andIwashappytogohomeearly,”commentedTaylor‘27.

Oh,andyoumightbewondering:howbadwerethosetorrentialfloods? Well, in anticipation of the debris flows, a debris dam was installed upstreamoftheHairpinTurn,abouttwomilesfromtheschool,inorder to protect the Figueroa Mountain Road bridge and the bridge that accessescampusfromcrumbling Thelarge,gunmetalgrayconstruction successfully stopped thousands of pounds of debris from flowing downstreamintothebridge Studentsreturnedafteratwelve-daybreakto campuscompletelyhigh,dry,andintact Butbettersafethansorry!

AmuddyAlamoPintado

Land PinnaclesStewardTrip

ByAmelie‘27

Stewards,thehighlytrainedstudentleadersoftheOutdoorProgram, givesomuchtotheoutdoorcommunitythattheyearnaniceretreat

Thisyear,justtwoweeksafterreturningfromwinterbreak,wepiled into transit vans and embarked on our journey towards Pinnacles National Park Upon arrival, tent city sprang up and a kitchen was erectedonthericketytable Thesmellofcaramelizedonionsfilledthe airaswesataroundthecampfire,waitingfordinner Slyly,araccoon crept up to an open daypack, unzipped the front pocket, grabbed a granola bar, and unwrapped it, staring straight at us with a mischievous look We were shocked to see this little human-like creaturewithsolittlefear Andthenweturnedaround Staringbackat usfromourtentsweretenormoreofthesefuzzybandits Thesilent circleofStewardseruptedintoyells,jumpinguptochasethemaway

Andsoawarbegan Wespenttherestofthenightwithastudent alwaysonRacoonPatrol Luckily,allthirteenStewardsmadeittothe morning,whentheyawoketomakeeggsandbacontofueladayof climbing Whenwereachedthecrags,wesetoff,orshouldIsayup We setfourroutesonanorthfacingbrecciaslabnearthewesternedgeof thepark Asthesuncreptlower,wecleanedtheanchorsandheaded offonaquickloophiketogetusbacktothecars Singing,laughing andgiddywithjoyoveradaywellspent,theStewardspractically skippedtheirwaythroughcaves,pastlakes,andalongboulderedges Whenwearrivedbackatcamp,theraccoonscamequickly They soonrealizedwewereveteransofracooncontrol,sotheymovedtheir battalionstotheboyscouttroopthathadtakenupresidenceinthe campnextdoor

The next morning, we awoke to the chaos that is weekends in national parks. Roads closed due to limited parking, and the shuttles had a line nearly 300 people long. In true Midland fashion,wewalkedtheadditionalmilesfromourcampsitetothe planned trailhead, making our loop of the park complete. We spent the day traversing the high peaks and spelunking through caves in the damp valleys. Condors circled over our heads, so many that we gave up counting. The wind died down as we traversedthehighestpointinthepark,allowingustoappreciate thesheercliffswithoutfearingthem.Alongdayhikegaveusa tasteofPinnacles:fromseeingthebroadspectrumofbeautythe parkofferstolearningtheincredibleamountofpeoplewhocome toappreciatepubliclands.

AlltheMidlandStewards

Overall,thetriphadsomethingfromeveryone,fromfurryfriends, tofeatheredgiants,toepicdayhikes,toclimbingcrags.Onceagain, the Steward trip was a raging success, showing how much fun Midlandershavewhilespendingtimeinthegreatoutdoors.

ByJay‘26andAmelie‘27

CutShort:The2025ThacherHike

As our cars pulled out from campus at dawn, almost nobody expectedustomakeittoThacher.Duringlastyear’sMIDterms,an intrepidgroupofMidlandersattemptedthislengthytrek.Theymade it to the Thacher School in Ojai, but for many their journey was painful,aconstantpushtokeepwalking.Thisyear,withagroupon averagemuchyounger,lessexperiencedandoverallsmaller,veryfew peoplebelievedinus.Somecalledusthesecondbest;otherswentas farascallingus2024ThacherHikerejects.Almostnobodyexpected ustosucceed,letaloneenjoyourselves.

On day 1, each of the eight students internally waited for it to become miserable. It felt like walking up a hill of eggshells: at any momentwecouldstartfeelinghowlastyear'shikersdescribedit. Butthatmomentnevercame.Wewereshockedatthehighspirits. Wewouldn’thavebelievedyouifyoutolduswespentthefirstnight four miles ahead of schedule. After a delicious burrito dinner, lighteningtheloadoffood,wewenttosleepingiddyexcitementand feltasenseofhopeforthefirsttime.

Day2wasnotoriouslydescribedastheworst Ourheadstartgaveusa shredofhope Westrayedofftrailandcoveredthousandsoffeetof elevation in an endless uphill, but somehow we were laughing We enjoyed what everyone had called a terrible day We practically skippedintocamp,utterlyupbeatandunabashedlyuplifted Butit wasn’tevenclosetooveryet Wetriedtoridethehopefulhighofour successaswepreparedforthenext30milesin48hours

Day 3 started earlier than expected Despite a sprained ankle, countlessdownedtrees,andthemaddeninglymanymilesthatstill stretched before us, we never stopped laughing, ecstatically elated andearnestlyeagertokeepgoing ButThacherstillfeltfar,andwe didn’tdaregetourhopesup Ourgoalwastogetaheadofschedule thatday Butasthesunwentdown,wesetupcamponthesideof ourdirtpath,milesbehindschedule Theoddsseemedagainstus,yet weweredescribedas‘toohappy’thatdusk

Weawokeatthecrackofdawn,theskyjustbarelypaintedthedeep blueofmorning.Thedaywealldreadedstartedtoflyby.By3pm, wesawcarszippingalongHighway33,marking16milesofhiking doneandthemilestonemanyThacherHikersneverreach.

Dinneronourmealplanwasmarkedas‘Leftovers’andmanyhikers werestartingtowonderwhatthatmeant,givenwehadeatenallour “leftovers” except a box of gluten-free, dairy-free “pasta” and four raw onions We thought we were hallucinating when we smelled burgers,butasweapproachedaparkinglot,wesawthefamiliarfaces ofSamFinklesteinandJacobGrant,Midlandspouses,cookingnext to a van full of everything a tired backpacker could want At that moment,allwasrightintheworld:wesatdowninrealchairsinstead ofdirt,tradedtheonionsforreal,perfectlygrilledburgers,swapped ouriodine-sanitizedpuddlewaterforice-coldsodas,exchangedstale trailmixforDoritosandpotatochips,filledanemptyblisterkitwith fresh moleskin, and practically melted into a Theragun massage Shoutout to campus lumberjack Sam and Roots Organic Farmer Jacobforpractically–maybeevenliterally–savinglivesthatday We were back on track After months of preparing, weeks of training, days of hiking and hours of laughing, we finally let it sink in: we couldactuallymakeittoThacher

Day5:Welearnedquicklythatcookingeggs,baconandpotatoes ismuchharderwhentheeggsarefrozensolid,thebaconisanicicle, the potatoes are rock hard, and 18-degree weather bites your fingertips. Thinking we had only 11 miles, we didn’t depart our dustycamptillnearly9:30am.Sofar,thetripwastoogoodtobe true.Itseemedonlynaturalthatourbubblewouldpop.

At11:30amonDay5,DanpulledouthisGarminInReach.Heread the message out loud: Due to expected flooding and possible mudslides, campus is evacuating and MIDterms are going to end tomorrow.Youhaveonelessdaythanplanned.

(CONTINUEDFROMPAGE3)

Silence The group mulled over this, pondering the implications Poring over a map, we ran some mental calculations If we had already done three miles, then that left us just 31 miles until Thacher 155 miles a day for two days couldn’t be impossible Right?Wepressedon,worriedyetstillhopeful

SkipforwardseightmilestoHaddockCamp,wehadclimbedover 4,000feetofelevationandthesunwasalreadysetting Dansatus downinacircle,andweagreedtoananonymousvote Ifevenone persondidn’twanttopushthenextday,wewouldgetpickedup12 milesbeforeThacher ThehikersanxiouslywaitedforDantocount thevotes

“Sadly,wehavedecidedtogetpickeduptomorrowaround2pm atthePiedraBlancaTrailhead,”heinformedussoftly Westood Set uptents Madeafire Triedtoletitsinkin,butnotruinthe incredibletripwehadsofar.Notwantingtohavetothinktoomuch, weslept.

Inthedeadofnight,itbegantosnow Inthemorning,wecooked pancakesinthefreshpowderandhadthesnowballfighteveryone hadbeenwaitingfor Theendofourtriptaughtusavaluablelesson: expectationscanalwaysbeflipped Thedayafterweknewwewould makeit,wefoundoutwewouldn’t.Andafterwehadsummitedthe tallestpeaks,knowingwewouldn’tseesnowthattrip,twoinchesof perfectlypolarprecipitationfellfromtheskywhileweslumbered.

Normally,afteranoutdoorleadershiptrip,youmightarrivehometo hot showers, food, and embraces from friends who missed you AftertheThacherHike,wearrivedtoadarksilentcampusdevoidof anystudents,rushedleftoversfordinner,andcoldshowersdueto the propane being shut off That night, we thought we would be dininglikekingsatThacher,praisedforourstrengthandgiftedwith endlesssoftserve,leavingthethroneintimetoreturntoMidlandto sleepinourwarmbeds Thispromisemayhavekeptsomepeople going Yetinstead,wepiledintoyetanothervantoevacuatecampus, consoled with supermarket Häagen-Dazs, and slept in unfamiliar beds

Thisarticlemayhavegottenprogressivelymoresad,andourtrip mayhavefeltsimilar Althoughwelackedthesatisfactionand ‘ success ’ofreachingourdestination,wesucceededinmorewaysthan justthat:wecouldwriteyouabookofsongssungontrail;wehiked fartherthanmoststudentshadeverbefore;theeclecticgroupof charactersbondedwitheachothermorethananyoneexpectedto, andthestoriesfromourjourneyacross12topomapsstillprovide goodreminiscing 85milesdone,andjust12remainun-walked,all becauseof26inchesofrain

Community

Welcome,NewHorseDirector:LaurenPearson

ByEmma‘26

Asoneyearturnedtoanother,sodidtheHorseProgramDirector.

As Gina Butala embarked on her experience beyond Midland, the horse program welcomed Lauren Pearson. Having started a few shortweeksbeforewinterbreak,Laurencameintothenewsemester andyear,arelativelyunknownentity.Soon,studentsinbothHorse Sport,HorseCrew,andHorseInternshipwouldlearnthatpacked into the kind, put together woman was more energy than they thoughtpossible.At7ameverymorning,Laurenisawakeandatthe barn, helping horse crew with chores and Gator-ing down to breakfasttointeractwiththesleep-addledandbrain-deadMidland studentsastheysigninby7:45.Laurentakesherenergyandfunnels it into training our herd all day every day, working with every individualhorseandgettingtoknowtheirquirksasananimal.She hasendeavoredtogetourwholeherdupandmovingandbuilding muscle, even the older few who are close to retirement. Since her arrival,Laurenhasgreatlyimprovedtheprogrambyaddingtraining intechniquetoeverylessonandbystrivingtoteachthebestwayto rideforbothhorseandrider.

Thoughithasbeenachange,horseprogramstudentshavegrown exponentially under her training, and hope to continue once the weather dries and the arena becomes rideable again. Thanks to Lauren, new opportunities present themselves for beginners and skilledridersalike.

ByEmma‘26

Inadditiontolearningourherd,Laurentakesthetimetoopenher houseandthebarnforlatenightmovies,linedancinglessons,and browniebakinginherkitchen.Midlandisincrediblyluckytohave foundsuchahorsetrainerandteacher,andweareallreapingthe benefits.

The2025CosbyFundRecipients

Imagine: free money to go anywhere around the world and study somethingyouarepassionateabout,andallyouhavetodoisfillout alittleapplicationandwriteasmallessay Wouldyoudoit?

This December, the Junior class was bombarded with announcements, documents, suggestions, and many, many questionsabouttheCosbyScholarship:afundcreatedbyMidland AlumandformerTrusteeJonCosby‘63thatprovidesJuniorswith thefinancialopportunitytoattendaneducationalsummerprogram ofchoice.Studentscanreceivefundingtohelpwithbothprogram andtravelfees;alltheyneedtodoisapply.Well,thisyearroughly halfofthejuniorclassdid.Inpreviousyearsthereweretypically2-3 recipients., but out of all the applications for undoubtedly remarkableprograms,theCosbyScholarshipCommitteewasableto reward5luckymembersoftheJuniorClass

(CONTINUEDFROMPAGE5)

Itseemsasthoughthesestudentswillbeallacrosstheglobeasthey embark on their journeys this summer. In Guatemala, Cosby RecipientGuillermo‘26,willbeinterningandassistingseaturtle researchers.Similartomostwhoapply,Guillermowasinterestedin theprogramtodecideifthiswaswhathewantedtopursueinthe future.

ThesecondrecipientofthisscholarshipwasVeronica‘26,who appliedforamedicalinternshipinKenya.Fascinatedbyhealthcare andwantingtolearnmoreaboutitindisparagedcommunities, VeronicawillspendtimethissummerinMombasa,Kenyagaining medicalknowledgeandlearningmoreaboutthefieldofnursing.

Anothermedicineenthusiast,thethirdrecipientoftheJunior class,wasShae‘26.Shewillbestudyingplantderivedmedicinesand howtheyaffectthebody.Withaninterestinenteringthemedical field,ShaehopestoattendherprogramatUMassAmherstandgain experienceintheindustry.

ByMiriam‘28

Globe trotter, Sascha ‘26, the fourth recipient of the scholarship, applied for a fashion program in Paris, France. Sascha’s program focusesonthepossiblecareersinthefashionindustryandexposing the students to many aspects of the field. With an eye toward the future,Saschahopestobeabletomakeconnectionsinthefashion world that could lead to possible internships and learning opportunities.

Closertohomeatherowndesk,thefifthandfinalrecipientofthe CosbyintheJuniorclasswasKathy‘26.Kathyappliedforanartificial intelligence program through an online platform with a graduate studentashermentor,whereshewouldbeabletoexploreherinterest inthefutureoftechandengineering.

Congratulations to all of our Juniors! The hard work and dedicationittookforalltheapplicantstoresearch,write,andapply fortheirprogramsandthisscholarshipisadmirable.Andthankyou to Jon Cosby ‘63 and his family, who have so generously funded Midland students in their endeavors for many years. We wish our scholarsluckintheirworldtravelingandpassionchasingthissummer through all their programs and cannot wait to see what they bring backtoMidland.

Student-ledExperientialSaturdays

Wednesdaylunchassembliesarealwaysaboutsurprises.Current students and recent graduates all remember the times during Wednesday lunch assembly when they carefully unzip their backpacks with calculated cautiousness to take out their Chromebooks. Some hold their Chromebooks tightly on their laps, while others sneakily try to log into their MyMidland accounts.Everyone’sheartspoundheavily,astheyawaitforDan, Dean of Experiential Learning, to announce the upcoming ExperientialSaturdayofferings.

Experiential Saturdays are mostly hosted on Saturday mornings, when there will be various exciting activities for students to explore Meanwhile, Wednesday lunch assembly is when members of the Midland community will offer their enrichingactivitiesforstudentstosignup However,thisweek wasdifferent therewillbestudent-ledExperientialSaturdays! Theyaregreatopportunitiesforstudentstoconnectwitheach other,developleadershipskills,andsharetheirskills,knowledge, culture as well as experience with other members of the community

Therewereseveralexcitingactivitieshappening.Twoseniors, Ruby ’25 and Simon ’25, each led an Experiential Saturday relatedtotheirseniorprojects.

Rubyisleadinganextendedhardluckwithtrailwork,sinceshealwaysfelt that typical hardlucks don't provide chances to enjoy nature’s magnificence because they need to be back in time for breakfast. Her groupwentouttotheGoldenHorseshoetrail,whereherseniorproject takes place and where her group hung out and enjoyed hot chocolate. They woke up to a gorgeous morning mist, with delicious breakfast packedbythekitchenawaitingintheirbags.Later,enjoyingthemusic playingfromherspeaker,thegroupweresplitinpairsthatusedPulaskis andMcLeodstodotrailwork.

SimonisdesigningavideogameaboutMidland,wheretheplayerswill experienceinterestingactivitiesthattheschooloffers,suchasfeedingthe pigsandworkingonthefarm. Forthosewhowerenotthatambitious aboutgoingoutintotheproperty,theyjoinedhimtoanimatepixelby framingartandcreatingcharacters.Ahandfulofstudentschosetobe withMia’26inTrashCanyontolearnsurvivalskills,suchaswhattodo whenlostandhowtosurviveemergencyscenariossuchasacoldwinter night.SeveralstudentswhowereskilledinwoodworkingjoinedTrace’25, hisgrandfatherandAndrewinthewoodshopmakingAdirondackchairs. StudentswholovemakingandenjoyingdeliciousfoodjoinedMaude’26 inStillmanandmadetypicalfoodsofferedatacabaneàsucre(sugar shack),suchastarteausucreandsuçonsàl’érablealongwithapopular Quebecoispotatodishcalledpoutine.

(CONTINUEDFROMPAGE6)

Afteramorningoflearning,allstudentshadawonderfulexperience tosharewiththeirfriendsandfaculty,whileadeliciouslunchawaits theminStillman,madewithloveanddedication

ExperientialSaturdaysaregreatchancesforstudentdevelopment, both by hosting one and participating in one When interviewed, Mia’26saidleadingoneisquitechallenging Shementionedthatshe “diditindependentlywithoutfacultysupport,whichtaughtmeto bepatientandtheimportanceofhavingagoodpreparation,aswell asusingmyvoicetohelppeopletofocusandconcentrate”Ruby’25 foundtheexperiencedifferentfromtheotheractivitiessheled She believedthat“inthepast,itwasverystressfultorememberdetailsin myplans,butthistimeIamproudthatitwasverychill,everything workedoutsuccessfully,andeveryonehadfun”Simon’25thinks “itisaspecialchancetoknowwhateveryonewasinterestedinand sharebacktothecommunity”

StudentswhoparticipatedinExperientialSaturdaysalsolovethe opportunities it provides for them When interviewed, they all agreedthatExperientialSaturdaysprovidedthemawidevarietyof possibilities Gabs ’28 enjoyed the Experiential Saturdays program because she could “hang out with more people and have new experiences”

Sports

NewSport:MountainBiking

ByJulissa‘26

Bike gears whir and spin, echoing through Haybarn, as mountain bikes get ready to hit the Midland trails This spring, mountain biking, is the newest addition to Midland’s sports and activities offerings Led by Farm Manager & Educator Michael Sibalski, the mountainbikinggroupconsistsof5adventurousstudentswhomeet in Haybarn before hitting the trails each sports period Once everyone is accounted for–along with their helmets of course– the bikerscirclearoundoutsidetheHaybarn,discussingwhatthisnext adventure would entail, anticipation engulfing them as they await Michael TherearevariousbikingtrailsthatMidlandersareableto use,suchasLoversLoopoverattheHairpin,famouslyknownforits steep uphills that require lots of strength, and more beginnerfriendly Midland’s very own semi-professional mountain biker, Aquila‘25,joinedthissportbecauseofhispassionandloveforthis recreational activity With five and a half years of experience, he explainsthatheracesbikesoutsideofMidlandandisevensponsored bysomecompanies Thisnewofferingisn’tjustforthosewhowant to embark on this path, it's also for those who simply want to strengthentheirskillsandbecomestrongeronthetrails

Heelaborates,saying,“Ithinkit'sagreatsportadditionforpeople justlearningtobikeaswell,becauseMidlandhasalotoftrailsthat are pretty low consequence Honestly, it's pretty long overdue to havesomesortofMTBprogramwithallthetrailshere”Sadly,this sportwasjustnowofferedthisschoolyear,makingitAquila’sfirst and last year However, if it were offered again, in a heartbeat he wouldsignupagain Thisseason,tendingtothetrailsisamaingoal, tohelpMidlandcultivateitsbikingcommunityandmakethetrails morebikefriendly

AnExperientialSaturdayinthewoodshop,ledbySam‘25

HeadofSchoolNote

AsIgazeoutatStillmanPorch,thesunstreamsontotheroof,evaporatingthefrostthefogleftbehindintoaslow,swirling cloud likealong,gentleexhale.Springishere.Januarywasadrymonth,leavingthehillsbrittleandbrownuntilastorm sweptthroughthevalley,cuttingMIDtermWeekshort–incasetherainsbroughtfloodingordebrisflow.Thestormwas gentlerthanexpected,butitbroughttheAlamoPintadotolife.Whatbeganasarushingchocolateriverhassoftenedintoa clear, ankle-deep stream, revealing the rock laden bed that gave the creek its name. Meanwhile, Midland hosted its 7th annualDEIJSummitandFilmFest,wherestudent-ledworkshopsinvitedustoengagewiththecomplexitiesofsocialjustice anddeepenedoursharedconsciousnessarounddiversity,equity,inclusion bothinourcommunityandtheworldbeyond WealsorecentlyhadourExperientialWeek,withgrade-levelgroupsgoingondifferentadventures:backpackingthroughthe LosPadresNationalForest,buildingashower-fireartinstallationinUpperYard,constructinghousesintheCentralValley, and mostmeaningfullyfortheseniorclassof2025 envisioningandcreatingtheirgifttoMidland.Theendoftheschool yearwillbeherebeforeweknowit.So,takeadvantageofyourhalf-holidays exploretheland,lingerwithfriends,anddon't forgettopauseandbreatheinthescentofspringflowers.