Ask Our Alumni
Here are some reflections on the Rocky Mountain Semester from recent alumni:
Claire Maggiotto, Deerfield Academy
Why did you decide to come to the Rocky Mountain Semester?
I decided to come because I needed to be challenged. RMS allowed me to have faith in myself which was exactly what I needed at the time.
What part of the Rocky Mountain Semester do you remember the most?
I don’t think there is one specific aspect of the RMS that I remember most.The expeditions are definitely up there, but I couldn’t pinpoint just one thing.
How do you use your Rocky Mountain Semester experience back home?
I’m more self-aware which changes everything I do everyday.I am more confident and learned about who I am which really helps with life at Deerfield.
Why would you recommend the Rocky Mountain Semester to a current student?
The RMS poses a challenge that can’t be created any other way. With this challenge comes the confidence to be able to do and succeed in any situation. It is also exactly what high school students need to understand themselves and attack the college process in the right way.
Peter Kernan, Greens Farms Academy
Why did you decide to come to the Rocky Mountain Semester?
I came to HMI to try something new and break out of normal routine from school and life at home in general. I came as someone who was not into many to any of the RMS activities (backpacking, rock climbing). I came back with a love of it all.
What part of the Rocky Mountain Semester do you remember the most?
I remember the laughing the most. My memories deal with the community aspect of the RMS, but I have never laughed so much, let alone with teachers who resemble good friends just as much as they represent mentors and teachers.
How do you use your Rocky Mountain Semester experience back home?
Not a single day passes when I don’t think back to my time at HMI. What I learned from the RMS in terms of leadership, knowledge, and a sense of place in a community has driven me to start an environmental/outing club at my school and more overall has stretched my intellectual curiosity further than ever before.
Why would you recommend the Rocky Mountain Semester to a current student?
I would recommend the RMS to a current student because, as a four month experience, it is the most intense, physically, mentally, and socially demanding experience you could have. The result at the end is an unbreakable bond with HMI, nature, 35 other students and 9 other teachers.
Lucia Cowles, St. Paul Academy
Why did you decide to come to the Rocky Mountain Semester?
I was first intrigued by the backcountry aspect of the RMS, but was more importantly looking for a new perspective to approach my education. I wanted toexpand myeducation beyond the classroom, and to really push myself and my boundaries, socially, physically, mentally, in all dimensions.
What part of the Rocky Mountain Semester do you remember the most?
The expeditions and time in the cabins definitely stand out as strong memories. Expeditions in a lot of ways were the defining moments of the semester. They were where I felt I got to know people best, and was really pushed out of my comfort zone. On trail and in the cabins were also where I think I laughed the most. When you’re that comfortable around people, everything is funny.
How do you use your Rocky Mountain Semester experience back home?
The community dynamics piece of the RMS definitely translates to home. I’ve learned how to self-correct my behavior as a leader and a member of a group and definitely gained a lot of patience working with other people. Moreover, the experience really put my home-life in perspective. Having been through such a transformative experience, I feel like I really know what I’m capable of, and it makes the rest of high school easier, mentally.
Why would you recommend the Rocky Mountain Semester to a current student?
I would recommend the RMS first for the people and secondly for the experience. The people are what you will take away at the end of the semester, not literally, but I have gained a group of friends that I still talk to weekly. I encourage the experience, not because it’s a fun time, because it isn’t always, but because of the growth it stimulates. I didn’t think I had changed that much when I came away from the RMS, but I did. I’m a lot more comfortable and self-confident after the experience, and I think that really came out of the challenges posed.
Evan Daniel, Hotchkiss School
Why did you decide to come to the Rocky Mountain Semester?
I chose RMS as a chance decision.Like lots of Hotchkiss students I was worried about everything Hotchkiss that I would “miss out on” (like AP classes and the beginning of the college process).Luckily I had friends and family who reminded me that when there is the chance to have one amazing and unique semester in the midst of four years of High School, the risk is tiny.
What part of the Rocky Mountain Semester do you remember the most?
At first I thought I would say the expeditions, but when I talk to friends about RMS (which I seem to like to do a lot), I always bring up the faculty and the amazing and close relationship at RMS between the faculty and the students.
How do you use your Rocky Mountain Semester experience back home?
One of the greatest lessons I took from HMI is how to be comfortable as a leader both in academic and outdoor environments. It’s addictive.Now, I constantly find myself reaching for leadership positions. I was a proctor at Hotchkiss, and now, as a Freshman at Middlebury, I am an intro Biology TA and next weekend I am leading an
Outdoor Orientation winter camping trip for incoming students, many of whom are older than I.
Why would you recommend the Rocky Mountain Semester to a current student?
High school is comfortable and it’s easy to get trapped into the “preparatory routine.” RMS gave me many great friends, showed me amazing places and experiences, taught me many important lessons, and (as a plus) likely helped me get into college.
Leah Heal, New Hampton School
Why did you decide to come to the Rocky Mountain Semester?
I decided to come to RMS because the things I enjoy most in life are taking risks, meeting new people, being outside, and learning new things.
What part of the Rocky Mountain Semester do you remember the most?
I remember the time I spent in the field and the time I spent with my friends andteachers.
How do you use your Rocky Mountain Semester experience back home?
I make sure I’m being an active part of the community everyday, and I work on saying what I think and not being shy. These are only a few things I bring back home. I have been doing a lot more here that reflects my experience at HMI.
Why would you recommend the Rocky Mountain Semester to a current student?
It is a hard choice for a junior to leave home and go to a place that is unfamiliar, but I’ve been trying my best to explain to people how amazing the experience is.