There’s a certain kind of magic that happens one hour into white water rafting down the Deerfield River. Year over year, skeptical seniors step cautiously into giant blue inflatable rafts - some nervous, some eager, most a mix of the two - as part of their class Orientation Day. Phones and dry land are left behind. But flash forward to the bravery and teamwork that emerge after forging the first few stretches of Class 1 and 2 rapids together, and something amazing happens. The students’ faces lift up to truly take in the nature around them. That’s when the smiles come out.
I’ve witnessed this magic personally for five years now (seniors have been attending the trip through alumni-owned and operated Crap Apple Whitewater for nearly a decade), and it’s the reason that Orientation Day is one of my favorites of the entire school year. Fast-forward another half hour down the not-so-lazy river, when the water buckets come out, and the water fight begins, and that’s when the shrieks of sheer delight capture everything about senior year: the thrill of all that’s ahead, the hindsight of all they’ve been through together. By the time the rafts navigate the final rapid of the day (Class 3), these teens are ready to take on any challenge.
Although only seniors are braving the rapids on Orientation Day, every class comes together to bond on the first Wednesday of the school year. 11th Grade Dean Ana Ibave leads juniors to Roller Kingdom in Hudson, MA, where students can rollerblade or play arcade games for prizes. The real fun begins when students challenge teachers to races (spoiler: the students won), and the day concludes with a pizza party and music. “It was an amazing experience, and juniors had a lot of fun!” Ms. Ibave enthuses.
For tenth graders, the day’s challenge is more mental than physical, in a workshop hosted by teaching artist Merlin from Playful Engineers. The focus of the workshop is to build kinetic chain reactions, and after Merlin’s demonstration, students form groups to build their own. 10th Grade Dean Mike MacGillivray notes, “It was lots of fun to see how everyone approached this activity and how the groups worked together. It was a great way to kick off the year!”
For younger grades, and in particular our incoming 8th and 9th graders, Orientation Day is an important chance to pause and get to know one another and campus! 9th Grade Dean Kasey American Horse explains, “We play a variety of different games that require communication and teamwork. Our scavenger hunt around campus is a fun way for students to get to know CH-CH and meet the adults who work here. It also gives them a sense of where their classes are and the resources they have access to. It helps build an understanding of CH-CH as a community.”
One fun tradition Ms. American Horse always includes is to ask 9th graders to write a letter to their future self - to be read on the last day of the school year! 9th and 10th graders also have a chance to head off campus later in the semester for team-building activities such as an escape room. “It's a wonderful bonding activity that former 9th graders look back fondly on,” Ms. American Horse adds.
Whether the day’s adventure takes students far from campus or keeps them closer to home, the effect is the same. It’s a day to connect, take on a new challenge, and understand what it means to be part of the larger CH-CH community. Those lessons help shape every day of the school year to come - with calm waters ahead.