Leadership
Leadership Journeys
Each year, the Institute for Leadership & Purpose (ILP) sponsors several experiential learning trips for Calvert Middle School students. These impactful leadership journeys include immersive experiences in Costa Rica, New Mexico, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas.
Chilamate Eco Retreat, Costa Rica - Fall Leadership Journey
Each fall, a group of Eighth Graders travels to Central America for seven nights of unplugged outdoor education and cultural immersion at the Chilamate Eco Retreat in Costa Rica. The retreat is bordered by the Costa Rican rainforest, and heavy emphasis is placed on living with the land, rather than living at its expense.
To dig into the relationship between Costa Rica’s rainforest and its people, the students learn about ethnobotany and cacao farming, which is integral to the region’s population and economy. The group also meets with local families and children and pay a visit to Don Daniel’s Farm, a local facility where they help feed pigs, learn about the animals' diets, and work with Don Daniel to make organic compost.
Cochiti, New Mexico - Fall Leadership Journey
During a five-night journey to New Mexico, Calvert Seventh Graders participate in programming related to cultural immersion, community engagement, and awareness of indigenous peoples and history. In partnership with the World Leadership School, the students regularly meet with members of the Cochiti Pueblo community to learn more about the significance of the land, its indigenous populations, and their rich customs.
To get to know the community, the students engage with Cochiti families and students, meet with local artisans, and speak with cultural leaders who describe traditional drumming and storytelling practices. In addition to engaging with Cochiti families, the Calvert group explores Bandelier National Monument and tours the Tsankawi cliff dwellings built into the soft stone of the mesa.
San Juan, Puerto Rico - Spring Leadership Journey
Each Spring, Calvert Eighth Graders depart the mainland U.S. for a week-long immersive experience in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they participate in service opportunities, outdoor learning, and cultural lessons aimed at fostering global thinking. The trip is structured around several days of service projects with The World Leadership School and APRODEC, a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable development to improve Ceiba citizens’ quality of life.
“Learning about different cultures and immersing yourself in different experiences is really great to grow and learn and see a bit more of the world from somebody else’s perspective,” Allie K. ’22 said. “I thought it was really amazing to get to know Puerto Rico on this level.”
Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia - Fall Leadership Journey
In the fall, groups of Seventh and Eighth Graders travel to Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia for two four-day leadership journeys.
A working forest, Monongahela provides timber, water, and minerals to local communities and represents one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the United States, which makes it the perfect location for lessons on forest ecology, climbing, caving, and hiking. During one expedition, the students hike to the top of Spruce Knob, the highest mountain peak in West Virginia.
“The orienteering was pretty fun. I feel like we all did a good job of communicating. Even though we were getting pretty tired, we were still able to land almost exactly at the trail, which was what we aimed to do,” CJ N. ’23 said.
A working forest, Monongahela provides timber, water, and minerals to local communities and represents one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the United States, which makes it the perfect location for lessons on forest ecology, climbing, caving, and hiking. During one expedition, the students hike to the top of Spruce Knob, the highest mountain peak in West Virginia.
“The orienteering was pretty fun. I feel like we all did a good job of communicating. Even though we were getting pretty tired, we were still able to land almost exactly at the trail, which was what we aimed to do,” CJ N. ’23 said.
Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas - Fall Leadership Journey
Each year, approximately 20 Calvert Middle Schoolers travel to the Bahamas for six-night unplugged journey with the Cape Eleuthera Institute, where students live sustainability on the campus of the The Island School. Through environmental lessons with trained science teachers, snorkeling expeditions, and immersive interactions with the island’s natural wonders, students study conservation, experience local wildlife, and expand their worldviews, which is an important step toward becoming climate-conscious global citizens.
Calvert School is a coed independent lower and middle school.
