May 8, 2010

Last Saturday, many of us took the SATs. Here's what the experience was like as narrated by Jennie:

"We are sitting on the bus, heading to Salida.  We all have number two pencils and calculators for the SAT test.  Some close theirs eyes and others look outside at the lush mountains and farms along the way.  After an hour, we reach Salida High School, jump off the bus, and walk inside the school, which feels like a "normal high school," a place that feels strange and "too regular" in comparison to the facilities at the High Mountain Institute. We pass vending machines, water fountains, posters for school events, and walk inside the cafeteria, where the test is held.  As we stand in line to show our IDs and Registration Tickets, we watch the kids sitting at their desks, who look confused, intimidated, or tired. We then find our seats and begin the bubble-filling process that will last for hours and hours!  After the last section is complete, we hand in our tests and walk outside to meet the rest of our group at a park in Salida.  We get to spend some time in the town, which feels unique and quaint.  It is full of boutiques and coffee shops to relax in.  The test is over and we are free to roam about!  It is a luxury to buy coffee and smoothies and forget about filling out bubbles for a while! WOOH!"

On Saturday night, we unwound from our standardized testing stupor with a fun, western Saturday night murder mystery party. Every student was assigned a role to play in the game with a western name to go along with it. Everyone had tasks to complete in order to find out who was the murderer in the game. At the end of talking and finding clues throughout the night, we all voted to see who we thought the killer was. With his wife helping him disguise his vicious acts, Montgomery Money (aka Clark) was the one who committed the violent murder of Mitch Maverick (aka Jordan). The night was full of western accents, cowboys and unlocked clues shared by the sheriff and marshal. It was a blast.

Then, on Sunday, we all piled into the HMI white vans and drove three hours to Colorado Springs to visit Colorado College. We were hoping for some warmer weather, but unfortunately we were greeted with rain. That didn't dampen our spirits, though, as we split up into groups to take tours all around campus, huddled under umbrellas and dashing from building to building. Lunch in the dining hall was quite an experience! Even though we all love Ryer's cooking, Colorado College's food is delicious. Belgian waffles, stir-fry, and soft-serve ice cream helped keep us energized through our visit. During lunch, we even got to meet some HMI alums. At Colorado College right now, there are over 40 HMI alums! After our visit, we could see why so many HMI kids apply there. 

Then on Monday it was back to the "normal routine." With 5 straight weeks of classes, we were all a little worried of missing the excitement of the backcountry. However, classes have been very engaging and interactive. In Spanish class, we had the chance to cook Mexican "tacos al pastor" and learn about their food origins. We also did a word market auction, where we bet how many vocabulary words we know to win prizes ranging from Tinkerbelle pens to chocolate cookies. In Science class, we are learning about carbon emissions so we did a Kyoto protocol simulation. It was really interesting to balance environmental change with the needs of your people. In English class, we just finished reading Into the Wild, so we had a debate about whether or not Chris McCandless (the main character) was a hero. We were each assigned a side, which made it really fun because even if we didn't believe what we were defending, we had a chance to understand that side and become really passionate about the book. Overall, classes on campus have been just as interesting as classes in the KOFA, canyons, and in the snow.

And, lest we forget, we always fill our free time with fun activities. This week, there have been many fun and exciting activities. On Monday, a group of students went down to the high school turf field to play soccer while some other students stayed on campus doing arts and crafts, riding bikes down to the fish hatchery, or baking an octopus cake. On Wednesday, a group of people played outside in the sunshine, enjoying such fun activities as washers and tetherball. Another group of students went to the school to tutor younger students. On Friday, which happens to be the birthdays of Andrea, the history apprentice, and Andrew the Great (yours truly) two students took in our recycling while others did community service cleanup.

Yet another great week as part of Rocky Mountain Semester XXIV!

By: Jennie Saget, Maggie Harwood, Sophie Wheelock, Seton Talty, and Andrew "web-update extraordinaire" Spina