We believe that an education is not complete without the opportunity to put learning into practice. Our field programs encourage character development and leadership and provide opportunities for art, history, writing, and natural sciences education in backcountry and international settings.
Our field programs are accredited through the Association for Experiential Education. Learn more about our accreditation here.
Daily Experiential Learning
Getting out into the field is at the heart of a Link School education. Whether that field is on top of a mountain, in the middle of the Arkansas River, or on the back steps of the lodge, the opportunity to learn is all around us.
Our students hone their observation skills, refine research methods, activate their creativity, and find inspiration through study in the natural world.
On a sunny afternoon, a Link English teacher encouraged students to think across disciplines. They set out to sketch a landscape in our beautiful mountain setting and practice observing in the field. They were inspired by the idea that “observation is a discipline and drawing is one way of teaching ourselves to observe.”
Monthly Wilderness Trips
It’s hard to stay inside on a sunny spring day in the Colorado Rockies, which is why we spend 5-10 days outside each month. Students plan for, lead, and complete wilderness field programs that complement their classroom education. Link students and staff spend this time mountain biking, river rafting, wilderness camping, and everything in between.
“I had realized that I had overcome a fear of mine – it was the fear of being by myself at night in the wilderness. As I am writing this the thought came to me is that since I have overcome this fear of mine, I have no longer have a reason to fear the unknown and the steps that are ahead of me.”
Eric, 2019
Yearly International Expeditions
Once a year, Link students embark on a month-long expedition to a foreign country. These trips give our students the opportunity to:
- Learn planning and organizational skills
- Develop leadership and responsibility
- Engage intentionally with another culture
- Practice language skills and participate in place-based science classes
- Overcome physical challenges
- Put their spiritual beliefs into practice
- Find inspiration for writing, photography, and other artistic pursuits
- Immerse themselves in a dynamic natural sciences environment
As a school, we have traveled across the globe to Peru, Mexico, Spain, Turkey, Patagonia, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Colombia.
“Twelve years ago when I was five years old I was living in a foster home in San Gil before I was adopted to the United States. I have a clear memory from that time of being a five year old going to school for the first time and having some college students come to teach us a little bit of English. Yesterday I was sitting in an after school English program for Mexican kids here in Todos Santos helping out with their lessons and I realized that I am now getting to be that person who is helping someone else learn. We played some bingo and put letters in place. My life has been like that – putting letters into place, making words, making progress one step at a time.”
