By the time you are reading this, the Eighth Grade Graduation Ceremony will be well underway. Lilies will be handed over with love from an adoring first grade class, performances will play out with poise and imagination, and diplomas delivered with deep respect and reverence for the amazing individuals that comprise the Class of 2022.

But just one week ago, you would have found the eighth grade in quite a different world.

Each May, the Eighth Grade marks the completion of their time in the warm world of Waldorf with a momentous class trip. This capstone experience inwardly readies students for what comes next, providing real-life challenges in a beautiful setting, for a complete experience that is as rejuvenating as it is empowering.

This year, The Living Earth school in Virginia was chosen as the destination for this rite of passage, in part for its ability to draw from both ancient and modern wisdom and empower students to become better environmental stewards, world citizens, and leaders - as well as for its profound beauty.

The trip was too rich to recapture here but highlights included a solo fire building activity during which students gathered materials (damp from recent rain) and tended it alone for several hours, kayaking over rapids, swimming in freezing cold streams, cooking over the campfire and deep bonding with classmates.

It was a week in the woods filled with wonder, personal growth and pure adventure.

What a wonderful way to learn and grow. .

Interested in learning more about the Waldorf School of Baltimore's commitment to outdoor education and real world life experiences? Head to www.waldorfschoolofbaltimore.org home page and inquire today. Waldorf school offers programs from 2.5 years to grade eight