Last week, the Adolescent Program, at Chesterfield Montessori School, experienced a week full of fun that they will never forget! Albeit, the fall “trip” didn’t quite take place like normally expected, each day, all of the AP students participated in an exciting new adventure, surrounded by spectacular outdoor environments. On Tuesday, the adolescents were able to explore the CMS Land Lab up in Wildwood, MO, where they prepared the ground for planting trees by the pond, learned about different ecosystems on the land, and identified a variety of species within the river. On Wednesday, the students hiked the rolling trails of one of the last preserved Prairie Lands in the USA, known as the Shaw Nature Reserve. Breathtaking sights such as luminous limestone bluff overhangs, a grandeur Sycamore tree, the wide untamed Meramec River, and the abundance of stunning wildflowers and plants that lined the walking paths, were just a few of the many observations that the students made. Then on Thursday, the AP students walked to the CMS campus where they serviced the CMS garden and compost piles and created seed balls for Micro-Economy. Needless to say, the AP students did a fantastic job in transforming the garden into a beautiful environment. Finally, Friday brought a wealth of exciting new experiences such as getting to ride in the shiny new CMS school bus for the first time, float down the Missouri River in large canoes for over 20 miles, and explore the sandy beaches of the river while going for a splash in some good ole’ swimming holes! All in all, it was a wonderful week and the students learned a lot, thus challenging them academically, physically, emotionally and socially. Below, the AP bloggers have captured in writing, descriptive moments in some of last week’s photos. Enjoy!