An important part of our Back to School schedule are Middle School Boundless Days. Boundless Days are the first three days of school, during which we show our middle schoolers what it means to be Crossroadian. Sometimes, we must leave campus to form closer bonds and relationships. We find that there is immense potential in the disequilibrium a new, unfamiliar environment creates. It gives us the space to think deeply on how our relationships to one another work, and how they might work better. We remind our students of three Crossroadian tenets that will help them grow as individuals and a community on Boundless Days and beyond:
- Commit to the journey of becoming the best version of yourself you can be (while accepting we’re all human and will make mistakes on our journeys)
- Do your best to make it easier for others to be their best selves (we’re on this journey together and can help each other)
- Keep a role model in your mind to check in with yourself: would they believe I am being the best version of myself in this moment?
On our first day, we did some fun team building exercises to get to know each other better and feel more comfortable facing challenges together. On the second day, we spent the day away Camp Wyman, working together on ropes courses, and culminating in our third and final Boundless Day: a river trip on the Big River.
At the end of the year, we will once again go away to come together with a Middle School Camping Trip with Land for Learning, where our students will have the opportunity to check in with their growth and adherence to our values while working with the National Forest Service.
