Peyton West

More than any other experience, it promoted my growth into a mature, self-knowing individual who could collaborate, share my passions and values with others, and work hard toward a shared goal. The experience is stripped of unnecessary fluff. You live in a wood stove-heated cabin on the Maine coast, take courses that place the material in the context of the natural world around you and the experiences you are gaining as a group, have amazing adventures hiking and canoeing in the Maine wilderness, and build a community with peers from around the country who become life-long friends. 

My daughter attended the Maine Coast Semester program during her Junior year in high school. This was a very different experience for her coming from a traditional high school in Kentucky. She thrived in so many ways! Some of the highlights included: hands on immersion with real life coastal science and working on a farm, she loved being witness to baby farm animals being born, she grew in her critical thinking skills and independence, no cell phones was a huge plus for getting outside and forming deep and lasting relationships that have continued to grow outside of the program. 

 It was definitely a transformative experience. As an only child, he learned to live with others cooperatively. He developed skills he would never have encountered in a traditional high school, especially an appreciation for the environment, cooking, maintaining the farm, heating their cabin, safely enjoying the outdoors, and being solo in the woods. He earned the highest grades he had ever had despite the academic program being more challenging than even his competitive private high school. He is now an adult, and we can see the skills from Maine Coast Semester carried over into his work and family life.

I was a Maine Coast Semester student in 2002. I became more independent, realized that I had the power to choose my own life course, and met people from all over the country. It was a great opportunity to expand my horizons.

It’s hard to describe the respect and admiration we have for the people who helped our daughter gain the confidence she needed to lean into the things she loves, learn from mistakes, and find her voice. What would I change? Possibly a full year experience to live and experience 3 seasons at the school. We love you Chewonki!!

 …by the Chewonki faculty and administration, to the handmade sign greeting I got from my daughter and her friends on visiting day, to the snowy pickup of our amazing daughter, we felt the love of nature, the joy of community and the commitment to the environment of this very special place.

Indeed, I very much hope to send my own children to Maine Coast Semester one day!

We lived close to the land and in tune with the natural world, and while the academics were rigorous, the faculty helped us keep the larger goals of cultivating curiosity, open-mindedness, and thoughtfulness always at the fore. Even now, many years later, I continue to draw lessons from those meaningful days and the lasting friendships I built during that time.

Even after amazing subsequent college and graduate school experiences, Maine Coast Semester remains the single most transformative educational experience of my life.

The faculty was amazing and I cannot express enough gratitude for the lasting memories she made on campus. She retold many joyful stories of playing outside at night on frozen ponds, “coffee shop” style talent shows, and a two day culminating “solo” camping trip that helped her reflect on herself as a friend, student, and community member. 

From the moment she arrived until the last hug goodbye, she was challenged in new ways, encouraged by wonderful teachers, and found lifelong friendships. We are so grateful she took a leap of faith and went outside of her comfort zone. The administration’s thoughtful care and communication with parents was also much appreciated. She returned to her sending school with more confidence, a greater sense of herself, and lasting memories.