Hello, dearest readers! Welcome to the 48th edition of the Apogee Adventures Summer Blog™. You all are surely reading our words on screens of various shapes and sizes— and there’s no getting around the fact that in 2022, almost all of the reading we do, whether for pleasure or out of necessity, happens on one electronic gadget or the other. That’s why one of the most magical parts of an Apogee trip is the fact that our students get to leave their cell phones, laptops, and other screened devices behind in favor of a centuries-old mode of entertainment: a good, paperback book! In celebration of our favorite children’s books (and our favorite technology-less Apo students), enjoy this literary themed blog entry!
Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJ, CI, NEMCA, NEMCB, CRM, MCCE, MCP, DEX, VMA, VMB, CMC, AKMCA, AKMCB, NWX, PC, PMC
Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a poignant tale that reminds us all of how much gratitude we owe nature and all of its gifts, and how important it is that we take care of the environment and those around us in return. Our MCJers put this lesson into action during their day of service at Growing to Give, a local nonprofit here in Brunswick! They weeded and planted cabbage and artichokes, which will eventually be donated to food pantries in the area. In celebration of their hard work, they did a scavenger hunt and threw a party for their van, Jeffrey (you’ll have to ask them…). To cap it all off, they enjoyed a final dinner together in Portland and told stories by the fire back at camp. We’ll be sorry to say goodbye to these friends tomorrow!
Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)
Today, our CI friends made it to their last stop before Boston: Provincetown! After one of the longest rides of the whole trip (25 miles!), they set up camp for the last time (tomorrow they’ll trade in their sleeping bags for BEDS!) and explored this iconic coastal destination. Hearing about their day’s adventures and what’s to come, this blog author couldn’t help but think of Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. True, true, our students are riding bikes, not horses…and, you’re right, they aren’t warning the American colonial militia of the mobilization of British forces…but soon, they will be walking the same streets that Revere and so many other titans of American history walked! We can’t wait to find out what the final chapter of the CI adventure has in store!
New England Mountains & Coast A (NEMCA)
Just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar in Eric Carle’s classic picture book, we all need healthy food (and a few sweet treats now and again) to grow into the best versions of ourselves! This is why we’re SO excited about the community service work our NEMCA team did today with Growing to Give. Like our MCJ friends, NEMCA helped this Brunswick-born organization further their mission of making healthy, tasty, organic food accessible to all. Good going, NEMCA!
New England Mountains & Coast B (NEMCB)
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” Fans of Dr. Suess undoubtedly know and love The Lorax, and our NEMCBers took these words to heart during their day of service with the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center! This giving group helped clear brush and weed a trail system here in Brunswick, which will allow folks using wheel chairs and other adaptive equipment to enjoy the trails more easily. We’re so proud of your hard work, NEMCB!
Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)
E.B. White’s esteemed classic Charlotte’s Web is all about the importance of friendship and using your talents to help those around you when they need. Just like Charlotte used her web-spinning abilities to rescue Wilbur from his doomed fate, our CRM crew put their sorting, packaging, and cleaning skills to the test today at the Community Food Share in Louisville, CO! This food bank helps make sure that the greater-Boulder community doesn’t go hungry, and CRM got to help further that important mission today. This evening, they reminisced on the many good times they’ve shared over the last week during their final dinner; they’ll then spend one last night at elevation before parting ways tomorrow. We’ll miss you, CRM!
Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)
“Yer a wizard, Harry.” This isn’t the first time J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter has earned a spot in our illustrious blog, and I do hope it won’t be the last! Just like Harry, Ron, and Hermione valiantly vanquish their supernatural enemies, our MCCE friends are conquering writers block and crafting the perfect college essays. After a workshop with the Bates College admissions team this afternoon, the group enjoyed an evening of games and relaxation before they pick up their pens again tomorrow.
Maine Coast Photo (MCP)
In From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg, siblings Claudia and Jamie run away from home to live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The Met is home to artwork by the likes of Pollock, Degas, and Monet and is one of the most famous art museums in the world. While our MCPers are still in the process of honing their photography skills, who knows— maybe one day we’ll see their work hanging in the Met, too! Today, they took a ferry ride over to the beautiful Monhegan Island for a photo shoot. Nice work, MCP!
Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)
Just like Percy Jackson in Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief, our DEXters truly feel at home in the great blue ocean! Today, they concluded their kayaking adventure and paddled back to Stonington, Maine like the majestic aquatic travelers that they are. Tonight, they capped off a pretty epic Maine adventure with a final dinner in the picturesque town of Freeport before pitching their tents for the final time. We wish our dearest DEXTers the absolute best with the rest of their summer (and the school year to come)!
Vermont to Montreal A (VMA)
Like a good book, a good trip, too, must eventually come to an end! Today, we waved goodbye to our VMA friends for the final time this summer. We know that with the accomplishment of biking all the way to Montreal (!) under their belts, they have newfound confidence to carry with them into the school year ahead. We can’t help but be reminded of another Dr. Suess classic, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! as we think about all of the amazing things this school year surely has in store for them. Thanks for spending your summer with us, VMA!
Vermont to Montreal B (VMB)
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” These wise words were said by everyone‘s favorite yellow bear in the book Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, and they are especially apt for our VMB friends! Biking from Vermont to Montreal is a huge feat, and our VMB crew accomplished it with ease (and had a whole lot of fun along the way)! We were sad to say goodbye, but we’re wishing them the best and hope they join us for Apogee 2023!
California Mountains & Coast (CMC)
In Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice finds herself in fantasy world after falling down a rabbit hole. While (at least as far as we know) our CMC friends didn’t encounter a Cheshire Cat or anthropomorphic playing cards out in the golden state, they did just spend 12 days exploring, adventuring, and making new friends along the beautiful California coast! Today, we said goodbye to our CMCers as they left their Apogee Adventure for whatever comes next. We wish them well, and we’ll miss seeing their smiling faces on our blog!
Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)
In Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, a young boy named Harold learns that he has the power to create a whole new world to explore and interact with by simply drawing it. And though our AKMCA friends did not spend much of their time drawing, they most DEFINITELY learned how to create one amazing, unique, and exciting adventure! While they parted ways in Anchorage today, we know that they’ll bring this hunger for exploration to wherever they go next. Thanks for joining us this summer, AKMCA!
Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)
In A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, protagonist Meg goes on an adventure through space and time to rescue her scientist father from the evil forces holding him prisoner. If you’ve had the privilege of going to Alaska like our intrepid AKMCB crew, you’ll know that in many ways, it feels like you’re visiting a whole new world. While gazing at its mountains, vast wilderness, and plentiful wildlife, you may even forget that it’s 2022! We know that our AKMCB team had the best time exploring this beautiful state over the last two weeks, but today was the day their adventures came to a close. We are wishing them safe travels homewards, and hopefully they’re able to crack open a good book on the plane!
Northwest Explorer (NWX)
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is perhaps the most classic bedtime story of all time, and it seems appropriate to reference it as we officially say “goodnight” and goodbye to our NWX crew for the summer! They spent the last few weeks hiking, paddling, and rafting their way throughout the Pacific Northwest, and today concluded the final chapter of their many adventures. Cheers to all you’ve accomplished, NWX!
Pacific Coast (PC)
In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, Charlie Bucket unsuspectingly becomes heir to the world-famous Wonka chocolate factory by staying true to himself and being a good person, even when faced with temptation and adversity. We never doubted that our PC crew was an especially wonderful group of students, but they, too, accomplished incredible things in the face of hills, winding roads, and many miles from Oregon to San Francisco! Today they traded their bikes for cars, trains, and planes as they began their separate journeys home, but we know they’ll never forget the memories they’ve made together this summer. We’ll miss you, PC!
Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)
At the end of Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers, the Banks children’s magical nanny opens her umbrella and lets the wind carry her to her next destination. While our PMC students opted for planes instead of umbrellas to carry them across the Atlantic Ocean today (wise choice, friends), they, too, said good bye to Europe for the summer. We’ll miss living vicariously through them as they completed the CDF, visited alpine refuges, and made memories along the way. Until next time, PMC!