FIVE STAR REVIEW

After a three-year COVID hiatus, the Southwest trip, a spring break staple beloved by decades of Upper School students, returned with rave reviews. Here Dr. Wheeler, trip advisor, captures some thoughts from this year’s trekkers.

— By Dr. Rebecca Wheeler, Upper School English Teacher

The annual Prairie School spring break backpacking trip was back in business this year, with 15 Upper School students enthusiastically hitting the trail in late March.

Seven days in the mountains and deserts of southwest New Mexico allowed the trekkers to challenge themselves, deepen friendships, learn new skills, and realize how full a day can be under wide western skies and away from the internet.

Although some students got a little chilly when evenings dipped below freezing, the dazzling night skies in a location without light pollution is what will stay in their minds the longest. Brie Luchun-Ledvina ’23 and Nathan Breiwick ’23 agreed that sleeping under the stars, without tents, was something they will never forget.

Tevene Vartanian ’25 also put into words the awe many students felt about the natural beauty which surrounded them: when she started hiking, her eyes were on the trail, but when she looked up, “The mountains and valleys were like a painting.” She also enjoyed learning multiple outdoor skills, especially cooking: she made pad thai on a backpacking stove!

Adam Langendorf ’23 loved how his classroom learning about conservation and his outdoor experience merged on the trip: “We learned about Aldo Leopold and wilderness during Land and Literature and now we were hiking in the Gila Wilderness.”

Mars Jones ’26 spoke for almost everyone in the group by mentioning how easy it was for friendships to grow when they were “away from everything.”

It’s a safe bet that the 2023 trekkers and the generations of Prairie School students who have hiked the Grand Canyon, Capital Reef, the Gila Wilderness, and other southwestern destinations will continue to treasure their memories long after their return to “civilization.”