Northern Exposure

I wanted to take a few moments to jot down some thoughts about Kamp Kenawachee -- a college experience in the wilderness of Alaska. The days are beautiful and classes are held outside in green grass or on wooden bleachers, under tall pine trees and a sky that's a dark blue that I have never seen. The nights are crisp and clear. Multi-colored shooting stars streak across the sky under a thick, bright canopy of galaxies that I didn't even realize existed. Most kids don't know what to expect when they reach the camp -- it's better to be thrown into an immersive experience that's free of technology and grounds them back to earth. Everyone's a stranger at first, leveling the social playing field and allowing students to form relationships naturally in an easy-going environment. Camp counselors are everywhere to help kids along and serve as their advocates, gurus or muses. Nature is everywhere -- the first night I slept in my cabin in the cool Alaskan air with one of the camp cats curled up against me. Later, a badger climbed in through the window and joined our warmth. During the day, butterflies and birds abound and deer walk among the cabins as students progress through their classes. Technology is absent -- only a community landline is available once a day, encouraging students to find their story within, rather than face the pressures of society. They drink water from a stream that meanders through campus. Meals are created from the earth and served in long, open dining halls where the breeze blows through the friendships that blossom at wooden picnic tables.