For the Love of Nature

For the Love of Nature

The SOLO program began in 1996 under the leadership of longtime Suffield faculty member David “Rocky” Rockwell ’58. During his fifty-four year tenure at Suffield, Rocky’s responsibilities ranged from history teacher [and department chair] to dorm head to coach [skiing, football, track and field] to Director of the Suffield Academy Leadership Program. SOLO tied together many of Rocky’s passions as an educator.

DAVID ROCKWELL ’58

In the summer of 2012 Josh Hillman ’14 went on a ten-day trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee with Suffield Outdoor Leadership Opportunities [SOLO]. The group went backpacking, biking, and tubing. They saw deer, bears, waterfalls, and gorgeous views. And Josh knew then that the course of his life was permanently altered. As a three-season athlete at Suffield he was never able to choose SOLO as his afternoon activity, but after enrolling at Springfield College he focused on Experiential Education in the Outdoors. This led to his work as a park ranger and volunteer ski patroller at Butternut in Massachusetts. When an opening for the Director of Suffield’s SOLO program appeared, Josh felt he found the perfect fit and jumped on the opportunity. He is thrilled to now be part of the Suffield faculty, leading SOLO forward and helping inspire a love of the outdoors.

Prior to the creation of SOLO, Rocky had been taking students on hikes and summer road trips to places like Zuni, New Mexico, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Maine. The most extensive was in the summer of 1994 when he led a group of eight out west to sites including Glacier National Park, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone— camping, hiking, and rafting across the country. Travel remained a big area of emphasis in SOLO for Rocky, and it’s a facet of the program that Josh plans to resume. He hopes to travel with students on extended trips to U.S. National Parks to take advantage of the beautifully preserved land and put their hands-on learning into action. He has already offered several weekend camping trips and activities for Suffield students. Josh said, “We are seeing students take the skills they are learning in SOLO and really applying them to areas on and off campus.”

The relationship between SOLO and the Leadership Program was also vitally important to Rocky, and this connection has been closely maintained. Josh and Director of College Counseling & Leadership Ann Selvitelli have established milestone events for each grade, formally linking leadership classes with the SOLO program. These have included events at the Courtney Robinson ’88 Outdoor Leadership Center [SOLO’s on-campus home which includes a 30 x 60-foot indoor rock-climbing wall and outdoor high and low ropes courses] and also class activities including whitewater rafting trips.

Several Suffield faculty members are trained and certified to lead ropes course activities. Next to the Robinson Outdoor Leadership Center and Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88 Balance Barn, Parker Regan ’12 Pond is used for canoeing and kayaking in the warmer months and ice skating in the winter. There are also several miles of hiking trails on campus which SOLO participants help maintain.

Students will have an experience that leaves them wanting more—and also realize how enjoyable and meaningful these outdoors activities will be for them.”

In the 2021-2022 academic year SOLO had twelve students participate in the fall program and nine in the spring program. Rather than having a traditional SOLO offering in the winter, various advisee groups, athletic teams, and student organizations used the outdoor center.

Josh feels that part of the beauty of SOLO is in its inclusivity—every student and group is welcome and benefits from the team building exercises. Josh has also helped rekindle Suffield’s Outing Club, initially started in 1960 by faculty member David Sawyer. The goal of the club is to host engaging and useful weekend activities for Suffield students including rock climbing, hiking, canoeing, ice skating, and other outdoor activities.

SOLO is a distinguishing program for Suffield Academy with a rich history and exciting future. Josh’s overarching goal is getting all Suffield students into nature several times each year to help them recognize the benefits of being outside and appreciating the natural world. He is helping establish plans for each grade to take part in an annual SOLO event and to further enhance the school’s great outdoor learning facilities. Regarding participation in SOLO Josh commented, “Students will have an experience that leaves them wanting more—and also realize how enjoyable and meaningful these outdoors activities will be for them.” The program is intended to help students foster a healthy relationship with nature so that regardless of how their career paths unfold they will have this foundation and consider the environment in life decisions. d