At the beginning of October, Lyndon Town School's 6th grade partnered with Lyndon Institute's Outdoor Education Department to hike Burke Mountain. It was a beautiful day filled with sunshine, smiles, and peak foliage. Hiking to the top of the mountain was quite a challenge and the day included some basic goal setting as students had the choice of hiking to the top, or staying at a halfway point. 90% of students hiked the entire mountain, and while they were sore at the end, they said things like, "I never thought I was going to be able to do that." 

6th graders learned hiking etiquette from the high school students about packing out what you pack in, respecting and learning from nature and the outdoors, and some basic ecology. These high schoolers led the group in team-building activities and took on a leadership and education role for the day. Their teacher, Ms. Saco, prepared them with small lessons and games they could lead as the day unfolded. A special thanks to Ms. Saco and Mr. Choquette, department chair of the CTE program, who facilitated the connection between the two schools, and created a perfect Fall day in the heart of the Kingdom.