_An Edhat Reader
By Midland School
Every spring at Midland School, academic classes go on a week-long pause for students to engage in experiential learning both on and off campus. This week is called MIDTerm, and students are able to choose the options they are interested in. In February 2024, the lineup included activities such as exploring sustainable seafood along the central coast, doing epic day hikes around Figueroa Mountain, painting with watercolor in the Midland backcountry, learning about pinhole photography, or exploring Asian American sacred sites and foodways in Los Angeles. However, one of the choices for students involved reviving a decades old tradition: to walk 100-miles through snow-laden backcountry to Thacher School in just six days.
An intrepid group of students signed up to hike through the wilderness all the way from Los Olivos to Ojai. Led by Dean of Experiential Learning Dan Susman, and English Faculty and Thacher alumnus John Babbott, the group renewed a decades-old tradition. The Midland Mirror student newspaper records attempts for this route from the late 1970s through the mid-2000’s. The last time Midland students were actually successful in completing the route was 1996.
This year’s group beat the odds and successfully arrived at Thacher School in Ojai, having hiked 100 miles in the snow over six days.
Darien ’24 reflected, “I learned that everything is worth trying, even if it may end in failure. I went into it thinking we were not going to finish the trip. At night two I had lost hope, however I still wanted to give it my all and so did the group. After day three, my hope was restored and I was more fired up than ever.”
David ’24 shared that his biggest takeaway was “It is worth challenging myself to experience past my known limits. The days leading up to the trip, I had plenty of doubt for myself and my ability to actually complete this hike considering that I have only ever been on three backpacking trips in my life. But at the same time, I was very hopeful that this group was able to complete the treacherous adventure. So in the end, me pushing myself to complete something that in hindsight felt impossible essentially proved myself wrong, leading to the idea that I can actually push my limits as long as I have the determination to do so.”
Students also considered how this trip helped them build their skills. Another senior, Ayanna ’24, wrote “I want to continue practicing self advocacy (standing up for myself) and connecting my feelings or reactions to things to a universal need. I think this is a hard skill to practice. But it’s also easy in a way because situations where I can practice non-violent communication occur very often at home and at Midland.”
Congratulations to this group of Midlanders! In the words of Dan Susman, Dean of Experiential Learning, “We’re so proud of these Midland students’ tenacity and grit persevering through some really tough conditions. This is a memory these young people will have for the rest of their lives.”
