With each adventure we take as a school, the photo students have an added task to contend with. They carry their boat over their shoulder, their paddle in one hand and their pelican box in the other.  While the rest of us contemplate our perfect line down the waterfall, the photo students are computing in their heads the equation of light + action+ and available vantage point for shooting. They climb cliffs, scramble down into river beds, fight through steep hillsides of bamboo and thorns, and drag themselves across zip lines to get the most innovative shot.
Being a photography teacher has given me a new appreciation for a photographer’s role in their photographs. This should seem obvious- who else but the photographer could be responsible for their own shot?  But before this semester, I never payed homage to the photographer at all. Looking at a photograph of David Hughes running a huge waterfall, I would think to myself, “David is doing something so awesome! And that waterfall is beautiful! I wish I did things like David did so I could have photos of me like that!” I gave the subject all the credit! And while it’s true, without the handsome boys and girls running big drops in pretty places, none of us would have the portfolio we do. But I never would think, “Wow, what composition this photographer achieved! The exposure is perfect, look how the water seems to be suspended mid air, it must have been difficult to use such a fast shutter speed in that limited light. And the area is so remote- amazing that photographer lugged her giant lens and delicate camera so far into the wilderness!”

Watching Zoe, Taylor and Matt constantly adjusting their focus, change out lenses, climb trees and give up their own oppertunity to run a drop in order to shoot someone else running it,  really makes me appreciate how far they go and how hard they work. Photography is one of those rare things that everyone benefits from. The photo students glow with pride when others admire their work, and the subjects of those photos glow with pride when they put them up on facebook and everyone at home raves about their latest big adventure.

Of course, then there is the hours spent in front of their screen touching up photos, uploading them to Flikr, giving slide shows and writing blog posts.  With internet that flickers in and out, this can be a long a tedious process. My students work for hours at a time perfecting and sharing their photos, and always with positive, energetic diligence.

Thank you Zoe, Taylor and Matt, I am so proud of the work you do!

Photo by Taylor Cote

Over a beautiful Thanksgiving meal high up in the Andes in a remote lodge on the banks of the Achibueno, the New River Academy enjoyed an inspired poetry reading. Zoe Ross read aloud the poem which was a collaborative effort of the American Literature Class. Zoe, Clay Whitiker, Alex Anderson and Eric Bartl had slaved away on this poem for four consecutive days while we were in Pichilemu, sitting on the beach and using the surf and sand as inspiration. They used their vocab words in the poem; and you could see the jaws drop as they rhymed Convivial with Unbelievable and Unspeakable, Eremitic with Roll the Credits, and many more….Taylor Cote, my ultra-creative creative writing student, read her own poem, the product of many hours of class and free time. Hers utilized an intricate rhyme scheme that pulled us right into her words, and she mentioned every single one of us in her epic.  There was a collective murmur of delight when she rhymed “the scenery is breathtaking, even though we be test taking…” Double syllabic feminine rhymes rock!!

Matt Hill read two poems he wrote, both old fashion ballads utilizing an abab rhyme scheme. He is a buddy Robert Frost, which makes me, his Vermonter English Teacher, extremely proud.

Tracy d’Arbeloff and David Hughes read aloud from Pablo Neruda in both English and Spanish, and Tino Specht gave us an unusual treat by reading an EE Cummings poem in both languages as well. EE Cummings takes his poetic licence off-roading, so to speak, and he is a challenge to read aloud in English. So cheer to Tino for the beautiful reading in Spanish! Eric Bartl read aloud from Robert Frost’s The Road Less Taken, The official New River Academy Poem. And I read two poems, one I wrote in creative writing which I’ll post here, and one that I wrote nine years ago, when I attended a traveling adventure high school.

It was a lively, peaceful and rare gem of an evening.  There was candle light, fire light, steam on the thick glass windows and outside  a sky blazing with stars and a white moon. Inside we listened to one another, applauded each other, and each gave a small speech of personal thanks to each other, our families, the school, the country of Chile, and the people at home who helped us get here.

Thank you! We are so grateful!

–Melina

As you know, next quarter we will be traveling to an elfin destination. Chile, a country full of baby toys and air fresheners, is the grandest thing our eyeball will ever behold. The waterfalls we will be paddling off of will give your triple-shot latte such a rush. The volcanoes that will be all around us make me snooze. What if they diagnose?! I know I’m very pancake stack to be amist the Chilean culture. I can’t wait to have taste of the best camel-shape Christmas ornament they have to offer. I hear during register dietitian’s class we will have to excite through the streets, trying to find different tree houses. I hope I won’t speed walk over my words when I’m trying to speak dentures with the people. Being there with the punch-drunk group is what going to make it exceptional pain. All of us in and airport traveling to this turquoise place is going to be an experience in its own. I bet the people in the airport will give us such weird unicorns when they see our toasty marshmallows. Surely we understand a kayak isn’t something you see every shopping cart. But, a school like this isn’t something you see every brand new red dress either.

New River Academy Students head out for a run of the Middle Section of the Ottawa River. Photo by Alexandra Shallhorn

The sun was bright this morning, quickly melting the night’s frost.  I was up first, climbed down the rickety top bunk and made coffee, enjoying the few moments of peace.  It only lasted a breath or two, because soon everyone was up, sleepily dragging their therm-a-rests into the main room, and before I knew it the place was covered with people doing push ups and sit ups and Forest Whitaker out of a computer speaker.  I made breakfast today with Alex Shallhorn and Tracy d’Arbeloff. I told the students I’d make them all pancakes shaped in the letter of their first name, but quickly found out I could only make round pancakes.  I decided they were O’s,  and thus could only feed those who had O’s somewhere in their name. Tracy d’Arbeloff, David Nelson Jones, the Jasons….

We are all thankful of the glorious weather. Blue sky, sun, cool breeze. The good weather is reflected in every one’s cheerful moods. As I cleaned up breakfast  I listened to a Spanish Quiz review going on in the kitchen. Then I wondered back to the girl’s cabin and started preparing for World Literature Class. We just finished up with Three Cups of Tea and are now moving into The Last American Man. I’m excited for the discussion that this book will yield, because the protagonist, Eustace Conway, is a very controversial man who once forced a girlfriend to dig up squirrel bones and make a soup out of them.

When it came time for class, I sent everyone outside to do a writing assignment while sitting in the middle of the woods.I wanted them to get in the head space of Eustace Conway as much as possible. At first I told them that their assignment was to go out, and come back in half an hour with a pelt and something to cook. Then I handed them each a spoon. They blinked at me. David Gorski looked like this would be no problem, and Eli Spiegal was excited. Then I told them I was kidding that they’d only need their notebooks. (This is my idea of a hilarious joke, but my humor is not always really ‘got’.) Anyway, they returned back from their mission ready to talk about life and survival in the outdoors. My philosophy about literature at this level (or maybe any level) is that the most important thing is to connect with it as much as possible, in any way possible. If this means going outside and rolling around in mud or throwing sticks at trees, than so be it.

Next up…cooking grilled cheese with fried eggs (Tracy’s idea) for lunch, then American Literature, Creative writing, and kayaking.

That’s all, just an update on daily life. See you later.

Photo students compose shots in Pichilemu, Chile.

Palmer Miller, David Gorski, Tracy d’Arbeloff, and Emery Tillman take turns directing photo compositions.

Photography classes in Pichilemu have been one day of planned assignments and shoots, followed by a day of uploading photos to the New River Academy Flickr account.

Two parts to the signs assignment: Capture a photo essay, series of 5 to 6 shots with signs that told a story. Signs must include both artistic and literature style signs.

Students take turns directing a shot while other photo students take their turn being models within the compositions.

David Hughes spots a smoking burger and note the drinking fries too.

David Hughes found the smoking hamburger amusing in this boardwalk painting.

Photo class compose shots in front of signs in Pichilemu, Chile.

Palmer Miller, Dave Gorski, and whale painting.

For more photos from New River Academy surf to the New River Academy Flickr account.

Emery Tillman