Students in Hawaii

Located in the middle of the pacific plate on a "hot spot" over 3,136 miles from Telluride lies the youngest island in the Hawaiian island chain, the big island. On May 17th, 2022, 28 seventh-and eighth-grade students from Telluride Mountain School departed on a journey that would change their lives forever. On this adventure, students focused on deepening their understanding of volcanoes, coral reefs, and Hawaiian culture. Prepared with a detailed itinerary, a binder full of resources, and six bold trip leaders, these intrepid explorers circumnavigated the island of Hawaii, taking in the views and making the most of each planned adventure. Some of the highlights from this trip included: seeing lava for the first time at Kilauea Volcano, hiking to and swimming at Green Sand Beach, collecting trash and microplastics at Waipi'o valley, snorkeling at 69 beach, Two Steps, Captain Cook, and the Queen's Bath, playing in the waves at Hapuna beach, visiting sites from the 2018 Kilauea eruption, paddling traditional outrigger canoes, and touring important Hawaiian cultural sites such as the Shark's Temple, The City of Refuge, Captain Cooks Landing spot, and many others. This group demonstrated a love of learning daily and was extremely respectful to everyone we met along the way.