SCH 9th Graders Learn Resilience on the Appalachian Trail

For SCH’s Upper School 9th graders, the first week of school isn't spent in a classroom. Instead, they kick off their high school journey with a five-day expedition along the Appalachian Trail. Under the guidance of experienced Outward Bound instructors, SCH teachers, and senior leaders, the 9th-grade class embarked on a journey designed to foster teamwork and resilience last week. 

Upper School teacher and group leader Aaron Bergmann reflected on the purpose of the Outward Bound trip. "I hope they learned that if we are going to succeed in challenging environments, we will need to build each other up and rely on everybody's varied strengths," he said. Bergmann emphasized the power of collective effort, noting, "No one person can do this alone, but collectively, the team has everything that we need to cross the finish line."

Roman McNichols '26, a senior group leader, agreed that there is power in camaraderie. His group sang their way through the woods and, he said, “They helped each other through the struggle, which I thought was really cool to see.”

The trip serves as a powerful introduction to the Upper School and a positive group culture that emphasizes SCH’s values of courage, integrity, thoughtfulness, resilience, and diversity.