BEYOND BERKSHIRE with Pro Vita

The annual Pro Vita Winter Session offers students a chance to try new things as they choose from over 50 experiential courses taught on campus and around the local community. This year, Bears with the travel bug pursued hands-on learning at four different destinations from the Bahamas to Boston.

The Island School

“Our adventure included so many wonderful opportunities in unique cultural settings for students to just relax, take in the experience, learn new things, and enjoy time together.”

—Director of Geier Library and trip leader Jen Tuleja

Students explored the beautiful island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas while learning about native ecosystems and environmental sustainability from worldrenowned scientists at the Island School. The trip also featured sunrise yoga, cliff jumping, snorkeling, biking, cave exploration, and enjoying Bahamian food.

King Arthur Baking Company

Students looking to sharpen their culinary skills opted for this intensive baking class taught by professional bakers at The King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich, Vt. Working in King Arthur’s stateof-the-art kitchen-classroom, Bears practiced making fresh pasta, Florentine bars, chocolate ginger cookies, and more.

“Students learned a great amount of basic and pro cooking techniques and built confidence in the kitchen that will hopefully inspire them to continue to cook and enjoy great food for years to come!”

—Languages faculty and trip leader Susie Beattie

Lake Placid

The winter wonderland of Lake Placid, N.Y., served as the backdrop for many outdoor adventures for the Bears. Students embarked on a blue-sky snowshoe ascent up Mt. Van Hoevenberg, climbed an ice wall at Otis Mountain, and toured the former Olympic village.

“At the creek, we spotted a lemon shark and learned how important mangroves are to ecosystems. After lunch, we set off and snorkeled around the Bamboo Reef, where we spotted lots of coral, crabs, squid, grouper, snapper, and a very special fairy basslet. Afterwards, we enjoyed some delicious tacos and talked about the shocking truth behind sharks and how friendly they really are!”

—Excerpt from a trip journal entry by student leaders Addie Robertson ‘23, Royce West ‘25, and Max Alberts ‘24

“The activities allowed students to step outside of their comfort zones and have a great time. A highlight for the group was definitely the toboggan chute on Mirror Lake!”

—RKMP Director and trip leader Glen Seelenbrandt