Before coming to Chewonki, I had heard about a few of the big highlights of the Maine Coast Semester experience like solos, field labs, and working on the farm. Those experiences have been absolutely amazing and have exceeded all of my expectations. But there are so many little things that make the Maine Coast Semester experience what it is. I’ve compiled a very incomplete list so that when my time here is up, there’s no way I’ll forget those not-so-little memories. 50 “little” things that feel Read More

I’m on Thursday field lab, and while that might not mean a lot to you, to us that means chaos. Field lab is a part of our Natural History class (affectionately called “Natty His” here). Every Tuesday or Thursday, half of the semester leaves Chewonki to explore an ecosystem and gain a greater understanding of it. Our first field lab was here on Ideal Point, where we explored the intertidal zone and got closely acquainted with Ascophyllum Nodosum and Fucus Spiralis, or y’know, seaweed. Our Read More

It was a crisp, sunny morning in late April when I first set out in a canoe. I had gotten up at 5 am to watch the sunrise with a group for my friend’s birthday, so the energy was positive. I was, however, slightly apprehensive. This was my first time ever canoeing, and I had just learned that our 4-day backcountry expeditions at the end of the semester would all be canoe trips. That weekend’s adventure was part of outdoor skills. Each Saturday we spend the morning working with OPCs (outdoor Read More

For the past three years, Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki has offered a merit-based scholarship to support emerging young leaders from Maine. The Maine Youth Environmental Leaders Scholarship is awarded annually to two outstanding scholars who have demonstrated an appreciation for the natural world and imagine a future creating positive change in their Maine community. Maine students are an integral part of each Semester cohort, offering valued guidance and support for their out-of-state Read More

When I first arrived here, I had no idea how close I was going to become with my cabin mates. Just recently, I was reminded that on arrival day, me and one of my cabin mates were the first to come and unpacked everything in almost complete silence. We now look back and laugh since we can't even keep a straight face when we're together. I'm still in disbelief about how close we've gotten in just such a short while; every single one of us is best friends with each other, and we're always having a Read More

The weather on that Thursday was stunning. Sunny, mid-60s, with a dash of afternoon cloud that added flavor to an otherwise clear, blue sky. We gathered in the Allen, a communal space that was at this time devoted to our two-day lesson, and awaited the class’s beginning. Eric, our instructor, sat to the side of the commotion until he was sure he’d had our attention. This moment was when he unleashed. Your friend accidentally cartilage pierced their ear with a stick in the woods. What do you do? Read More

We were in science class, and our teacher had just told us that Big Night might be tonight. Big Night is a night near the end of March when a lot of frogs and salamanders migrate to vernal pools to breed. It’s a wet, warm (for Maine) night and supposedly the weather was going to be just right for it to happen. In any other school, in any other place, that would be the end of it. Your science teacher might tell you more about it the day after, but that would be all there was to that lesson. This Read More

About a month before I went to Chewonki, I was having a lot of doubts. Is this actually something that I can do? Will I even feel like I belong there? I thought. I told myself that it would be foolish not to go, especially when I had been given this opportunity in the midst of a global pandemic where I hadn’t learned in person since last March. Even so, I was worried that when I got there, I simply wouldn't have it in me to do what I needed to do: work fast, adapt to a new routine, meet and Read More

Last Saturday was our first-ever outdoor skills training. Every Saturday we learn new outdoor skills in preparation for Chewonki’s three experience peaks; outdoor leadership weekend, solos, and our backcountry expeditions. This year is also very special because at the end of May, we will be going to the heart of Maine’s North Woods to Fourth Debsconeag Lake. During that time, we will explore the woods, hike and canoe, and have a big community celebration at a magical place to celebrate the end Read More

I was having a pleasant Thursday morning on the third day since arriving at Chewonki. Surrounded by six of the new friends I was quarantined with, we conversed about the upcoming day and what it would bring (since the first two days were an adventure, full of exploring Chewonki’s magic). Just then, Sarah, the Associate Dean, arrived at our cabin and invited all of us to visit the farm for a few minutes since she was on her way there. While I jumped at the opportunity, my friends did not share Read More