The Mountain School of Milton Academy - Review #2

At the Mountain School we learned science through exploration of our environment: from coring trees to determine age, to studying the succession of trees in our location, we learned the history and story of our science sites. This experience sticks with me to this day.

I went to a traditional boarding school and then to Mountain School during my junior spring. Mountain school gave me a unique experience outside of my traditional experience. I came back more confident and connected and more aware of my strengths and priorities. Having taken a semester “abroad” I realized all I had to offer and who I was when I returned for senior year.

This is a super unique experience that will help give you perspective that few kids have or get. I highly recommend it.

Years later, I remember these six months as a time of growth. I remember my Mountain School experience far more than my traditional boarding school tenor.

Definitely try the fudge oat squares! Best dessert ever.

It was Harkness based, so I enjoyed the debates and discussions around books, history and even math proofs. The teachers were there to push our critical thinking and challenge us.

This was the only challenge for me when I attended. As an athlete, with a small school, there wasn’t the opportunity to play organized sports for that semester. While I surely stayed in shape for cross country and basketball with run club, and various other physical activities that we did, this aspect is hard to replicate with less kids.

This was one of the strengths: while small, we created tons of opportunities for performances both individual and small group.

The beauty of the mountain school is that it adapts and changes to the group that is there and their interests. This is a great place for students to gain leadership experience and to participate in the creation of something new each semester.

We lived in small dorms that were cozy and communal. The bedrooms were small but well fitted and the common areas encouraged conversation, card games and tons of dorm bonding.

This is the highlight. The original farm to table. All the students get involved in helping in the kitchen with our esteemed chefs: from picking vegetables, to cleaning pots and pans after, you’ll truly learn from soup to nuts about our food that we eat and how it’s prepared.

It’s beautiful. We went on a solo in the woods and mountains. We fished in the river nearby.

It was a small group of 50 ish students who spent most of their time together. I learned to play piano from a talented classmate, we sang, jumped in a freezing pond, and came up with various ways to entertain ourselves.