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Where Consc iousness Meets Wi lderness

KRKA EXPEDITIONSP R O G R A M S F O R S C H O O L S

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Kroka Expeditions is committed to awakening in young people a connection to nature and the spirit within, and a capacity for conscious living and compassionate service. We strive to achieve this through wilderness adventure, community living,

farming, and the practice of traditional and indigenous skills.

O U R M I S S I O N

“On the surface my daughter learned self sufficiency skills, but less measurable were all the little things reinforced regarding tolerance, empathy, cooperation, responsibility to the group, and putting others ahead of yourself.” –Parent

“Nature is self-organizing. What Kroka does that few other programs do, is allow that idea to provide the structure behind the kids’ experience. I love the fact that you keep the true meaning of adventure alive in all your programs: risk, challenge, the unknown . . . and then you offer kids the skills they need to thrive in those conditions.” –Parent

OUR CLASSROOM is one without walls where learning is alive and lessons are real. Kroka’s Programs for Schools offer authentic wilderness adventures in the United States, Eastern Canada, and Ecuador. They include curriculum integration, true community, and practical skills toward sustainability. Whether participating in life at our base camp, or traveling in the wilderness in a handmade Voyageur canoe, on a bicycle, or by snowshoe, our program itineraries reflect 30 years of experience in designing and leading unique wilderness journeys.

We welcome students of all ages from many different type of schools, including Waldorf, Montessori, Friends, Cooperative, public, and charter. All teachers who come to Kroka value:

´ Hands-on experiential education that extends beyond the school’s walls.

´ Interdependent communities in the classroom.

´ Healthy risk-taking, challenge, adventure, and immersion in nature as tools for educating capable human beings.

´ Social and environmental responsibility with a focus on practical skills for sustainable living.

to develop a kroka trip for your class, visit our website at www.kroka.org or call us at 603-835-9087.

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STRENGTHEN YOUR CLASS COMMUNITYLiving and traveling in nature requires a high level of commitment and cooperation within the group. Students offer each other

physical and emotional support. Under the skilled guidance of Kroka staff and the class teacher,

students develop communication skills and work ethics, all of which will benefit daily

life in the classroom. This is a unique opportunity for building

a true interdependent class community.

A Kroka trip creates an authentic wilderness experience that strengthens the class community and brings academics alive. Our experienced instructors give students practical tools for sustainable living, while handing them real responsibility and guiding them through a rite of passage experience in the wilderness.

AN AUTHENTIC WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE Students take responsibility for the work of daily living. They learn

the rhythms of making and taking down camp each day. They gather firewood, draw water from the stream, and cook on an open fire. Students learn to tell time by the sun, notice the phases of the moon and direction of the wind, and sleep under the stars at night. Traveling at the pace of the natural world connects students to the earth, each other, and themselves.

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ACADEMICS Homer’s Odyssey comes alive as the voice of the teacher is heard amidst the crashing waves on a windswept lake. Hydrology is demystified on a canoeing trip from the river’s source to the sea. Ecology creaks, hoots, and howls when taught in the depths of the forest. Epochs of geology are written on the walls of a cave deep underground. South American history and culture take form during a stay with indigenous communities in Ecuador. We invite you to learn through experience, so the new perspectives and skills acquired live on in each student for years to come.

TOOLS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING Stepping fully into nature allows us to develop a unique perspective on the modern world and our role as human beings. We look at our food and equipment and ask: How can we sustainably share these limited resources? We look within our group and ask: What needs to be done? Moving through the landscape as a community on a wilderness expedition, students develop a strong connection to place and from the simple pleasures of working with our hands and knowing the source of our food, fuel, and water, a sense of purpose and responsibility for everyday life is born. Our long days of adventuring come together as we create a wilderness home each night and enjoy a simple bowl of delicious food.

RITE OF PASSAGE AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ADVENTURE Students experience quiet contemplation, nature observation, and exhilaration at the top of a rock face and through the white water rapids of a river. They take risks, share what is in their hearts in an evening circle around the fire, and deepen relationships with their classmates. Students return home from their Kroka experience with newfound confidence and maturity.

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LAKE CHAMPLAIN WALDORF HIGH SCHOOL

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The Lake Champlain Waldorf High School is located in Charlotte, VT and has been working in partnership with Kroka since 2009. They have participated in 9th, 10th, and 12th

grade trips with us, and helped to create our Odyssey curriculum. In this 8-day expedition, the trials and adventures of Odysseus come alive. Homer’s telling of this classic tale

becomes the backdrop to our own story as we travel in giant Voyageur canoes down the length of Lake Champlain. On the last day of the expedition, the 10th grade heroes of

the voyage walk back to school with packs on their backs, and are greeted by the 11th grade in what has become a rite-of-passage ceremony.

“The Odyssey is an epic story of struggle and character building. Studying this story while paddling on Lake Champlain affords students an opportunity to live the struggle a little bit, and to directly build character in a meaningful way. Ideas like heroism, courage, loyalty, responsibility, understanding one’s strengths and challenges, mentorship and home coming are made living concepts through

the process of working together, reading the story together, and taking time for individual reflection. Every trip we take has hard times, challenges, joys, and moments of true insight that could not be achieved in the same way if we were confined by the walls of a classroom.” – Steve Crimy, LCWS teacher

Steve Crimy

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CAMBRIDGE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

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The Cambridge Montessori School is located in Cambridge, MA and has been working in partnership with Kroka since 2002. Every spring, their combined 4th, 5th,

and 6th grade class joins us for our Wilderness Adventures at Kroka Village program. Their classroom walls open up for a week as they learn to bake bread over

an open fire, carve a spoon, climb up a rock face, and paddle down a swiftly flowing river. Each night they return to our home in the Kroka Village with songs and

stories to share around the campfire. The week culminates with each grade experiencing their own adventure.

“The 4th, 5th and 6th year students at Cambridge Montessori School have been coming to Kroka Expeditions for over ten wonderful years.

During their five day trips together, the children strengthen their community, learn valuable wilderness living skills and develop a deep appreciation for their potential as stewards of the environment. The Kroka family provides a supportive environment while encouraging our students to stretch themselves in ways that are just right for each child. Our trips to Kroka are an integral part of our curriculum at CMS.”

– Mary Velasques, CMS teacher

Mary Velasques

“I went to the woods to look at the world from a different angle. When I looked at the world from the woods it looked busy, loud and lazy. Nobody was taking the time to enjoy the world around them. Living simply for a week helped me to see how much extra we have in our lives. Now I look differently at the luxuries I have.

I went to the woods to be challenged. I enjoyed the challenges of portaging our rafts over dams and building camp. Around every bend there was a new challenge. I learned how to make important decisions quickly and how to look ahead at what other challenges might be coming. I learned to endure uncomfortable situations.”

–CMS Student

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“For most of my students, Kroka was their first trip away from home. It was their first time away from the city, from their televisions and phones, their ipods and computers. It was the first time adults

trusted them completely. It was the first time they were responsible for important and challenging chores. It was the first time they ever pulled a plant from the ground and ate it -- the first time they ever stepped barefoot into mud... and enjoyed it. We, both the teachers and students, returned to Boston with a unique bond. We had canoed rivers together and repelled off cliffs together. We had fallen asleep under the same stars. Kroka gave them a new confidence that translated into their school work and their personal

relationships. The impact Kroka had on the lives of all of us was priceless.” – Emily Bryan,

EMS teacher

Emily Bryan

Edwards Middle School is located in the inner city of Boston and has been bringing their diverse student body to Kroka since 2011 for our Community Coming

Together: Wilderness Orientation at Kroka Village program. This is a perfect way to start the school year celebrating community and individual growth. Through

cooperative challenges, teamwork, and risk-taking, students come together to form a strong class community to carry forward into the school year.

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“Over the course of four and a half years, my students and I have enjoyed more than thirty days outside with Kroka. These outings serve my students by having them spend time in nature, do meaningful physical work, come to know their own strengths, and experience the

passing discomforts that come with being outside and away from school and home. For some, it might be during our outdoor excursions when they can truly shine. As one parent put it, education does not begin or end at the school’s doors. All of our trips relate in some way to the curriculum and bring many areas of classroom study to life. Whether having lunch in a sod house while studying shelters, climbing onto a beaver lodge in the winter during animal study, walking barefoot on thick carpets of moss when studying the lower plants, or rock climbing on an exposed granite face after learning about how granite is

formed deep within the earth, these first-hand experiences directly support each child’s

experience of the curriculum. Nothing brings a class together like experiencing what they can accomplish together, and our trips with Kroka provide opportunities that I could never create in the classroom.”

– Tim Price, MWS teacher

The Monadnock Waldorf School is located in Keene, NH and began creating an integrated outdoor curriculum with Kroka in 2008. Tim Price, a teacher at MWS, has been

incorporating outdoor programs into his class’s curriculum since 2nd grade. Students have worked on the farm, paddled Voyageur canoes, hiked in the White Mountains,

and explored the wilderness. Thanks to the Monadnock Waldorf School’s commitment to outdoor education, students develop a comfort and lasting connection with nature

throughout their 8 years in grade school.

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MONADNOCK WALDORF SCHOOL

Tim Price

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MONTCLAIR COOPERATIVE SCHOOLV

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A MUSICAL NOTE It’s just us, five in a canoe. The river runs at a nothing pace. The wind creates the only current. We lose sight of the canoes. The trees box us in, a wall of olive and coffee. They hang over, a roof of dense foliage. There is no escaping this placid River. Only one way to go, forward. We don’t talk; we listen to the musical chatter of birds and the sound of water splashing. The wind ties their song with a whoosh. The birds are singers and the wind is the violin, joining into the blue jays’ lyrics. The splashing sets the tempo. We have found nature’s secret song, worth millions if published. I struggle to explain this beauty. I want to keep hearing this symphony. My fear is the song will slip my memory and I will forget, forever.

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The Montclair Cooperative School in Montclair, NJ has been bringing their 7th and 8th grade classes to Kroka since 2005 for our Wilderness Adventures at Kroka Village,

New England River Expedition, and Equatorial Encounters programs. Students follow a progression starting with a focus on community and skill building. From there,

students return in the fall of their 8th grade year to apply these skills on a canoeing expedition down the Connecticut River. Finally, in the spring of eighth grade, their

school year culminates with a Kroka-Ecuador experience. Students spend two weeks with our sister school Nahual Expediciones, living in small villages and learning from

the indigenous people of the Andes.

“My students and I have been coming to Kroka for 8 years. We keep coming back because Kroka meets a deep need inside children: to do real work, to test and challenge their own limits, to participate in a community that lives sustainably, and to experience nature in authentic interactions

with her. These are the gifts of Kroka - they cannot be learned in the classroom - they need to be felt and experienced with bare feet on the earth and in hand-holding circles around the fire while singing heartfelt songs. The gifts of Kroka last a lifetime.” – Judy Berezki, MCS teacher

“Time in the wilderness allows children to be in an unhurried world where attention can be paid to life’s simplest and most profound joys, the sound of wind through the trees, the peace of walking through a forest. My students shed their connections to objects and replace them with building community, acquiring skills like fire-making, and savoring the natural rhythms of our forever-fascinating Earth. They fall in love with their natural heritage and retain that ‘rootedness’ even when they return home.” —Suzanne Nakamura, MCS teacher

Judy Berezki

– MCS Student

CINCINNATI WALDORF SCHOOLThe Cincinnati Waldorf School, located in Cincinnati, OH, started coming to Kroka in 2007, and has experienced a broad spectrum

of programs including: the Green Mountain Multi-Element Expedition, Caves of Kentucky, Coastal Journey, and two canoeing

expeditions; Canyons of the Rio Grande and Labyrinth Canyon Expedition. Supported by returning teacher Jodi Harris, Kroka programs

have played a powerful role in creating positive change in the classroom. Students experience challenge, collaboration, freedom, and

responsibility on their 8th grade trip as they hike, paddle, climb, and explore with Kroka.

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“Kroka’s expeditions help my students experience themselves and each other and their surroundings in a way that’s so much more pure and authentic than they are used to. With societal norms and pressures set aside, with social status and habits falling away, with real and immediate thrills and challenges replacing virtual activities, students call forth and practice being the individual they are striving to

become. The singing and working together and sharing in circle meetings, and the leaders’ wise insights and acceptance, all help to build the open and supportive community that embraces and helps each student through this tremendous transformation.” – Jodi Harris, CWS teacher

Jodi Harris

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Kroka Programs in EcuadorV

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Palugo Farm is situated at 9,000 feet of elevation in the village of Pifo, 25 kilometers east of

Ecuador’s capital, Quito. It is home to Kroka’s sister school, Nahual Expediciones, Ecuador’s

premier mountaineering and wilderness guide service. Palugo’s 240 acres are situated on

the site of a 16th century monastery with a rich history and ancient farming traditions. The

Dammer-Espinosa family has been farming at Palugo for four generations. The farm sustains

a community of indigenous people and grows a year-round organic CSA providing fruit,

vegetables, dairy, eggs and meat for local families. Palugo’s architecture represents the values

of beauty, simplicity, and sustainability, combining traditional materials and building methods

with efficient energy use and imaginative artwork. The Kroka-Nahual partnership is more than

a decade old, and Nahual’s guides are beloved teachers at Kroka. Each year an exchange of

students, teachers, and apprentices between New Hampshire and Ecuador enriches life at both

the Kroka Farm and Palugo Farm.

All programs begin and end at Palugo Farm, and include service projects within native

communities.

“The philosophy of Kroka is brilliant. Every student gets the chance to be an individual and to learn how to live in balance with the nature, the animals, and the people around. Everyone is accepted how they are, and with the talents of every single student a great community arises.”

– Student

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Kroka’s Summer Programs

Our Summer Programs (for ages 6-18) span one to three weeks and offer experiences in wilderness living, traditional native skills, rock climbing, caving, and white water paddling. Our days begin with the daily work of gathering firewood, harvesting fresh food from our garden, and caring for our farm animals. From here our daily adventures are punctuated by singing, swimming, building with natural materials, learning practical handcraft skills, and exploring with new friends. All of this is done within the holistic lifestyle of a nurturing community: celebrating food, sharing living spaces, and working and playing hard in nature.

Kroka’s Semester School

The Kroka Semester Programs (for ages 16-21) combine wilderness adventure with conscious living to create a unique physical, social, and spiritual journey for young people. Students take authentic ownership of their experiences and hold real responsibility for work that their whole community depends on. They experience freedom and growth that stays with them for a lifetime. The VERMONT SEMESTER-600 MILES BY SKI AND CANOE is from January through May, and the ECUADOR SEMESTER- FROM THE WHITE MOUNTAINS TO THE ANDES spans the months of September through December.

SUMMER KIDS AROUND FIRE

“He came back grounded and very stimulated at the same time. The details that have come out over time have painted a picture of a very holistic experience, from the paddling, the beauty, the people he met, and the solo and group time. I love what Kroka has given to my son. It is a place where his strengths can shine as school is always a struggle for him.” –Parent

Kroka’s Staff and Commitment to Sustainability

ORGANIC FOOD AND FARMING: The food we serve is local and organic, whenever possible, and its cultivation, harvest, and preparation are a celebrated part of our curriculum for all students. With time, we continue to integrate new knowledge and expand our organic farm. We now enjoy delicious fresh milk from Daisy, our Jersey cow, eggs from our happy hens, berries from our very own patch, and produce from our ever-developing gardens.

ENERGY: We are proud of our wood-fired and solar-powered camp village, as well as cooking and administrative facilities, which serve as a great example for visitors and students, and bring us closer and closer to becoming a “carbon-neutral” organization. Through living and working with these systems, students learn that energy sustainability can be possible within the scale of a small interdependent community.

BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER: At Kroka we strive to expand and deepen the web of our community. We aim to combine our life with our work in order to support one another in embracing the philosophies we share. We balance our needs for equipment with in-house creation and repairs, use local services whenever possible, and learn from one another all the time. Our programs are accessible to all, regardless of ability to pay. Everyone who comes to Kroka is invited to become part of our community, and this is reflected in our wide base of returning students, schools, teachers, and staff.

KROKA’S STAFF: are an international group of professional educators and guides who live with integrity and inspire by example.

The Kroka Village lies nestled in the high country between the watersheds of the Ashuelot and Cold Rivers, on 75 acres of forest, fields, cliffs, and streams adjacent to a large wilderness area. Here we work to bring intention, connection, and a sense of responsibility to the work that we do.

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Graphic design by Dede Cummings of Dcdesign. All photos and illustrations by Kroka staff members.

New Leaf Reincarnation, Matte paper is 100% recycled; 60% post-consumer (taken off waste stream) + 40% recycled paper from pre-consumer waste. Processed chlorine-free, and printed locally in Vermont by Springfield Printing, using soy-based ink, this brochure is FSC-certified and Green-E certified.

Kroka Expeditions is an accredited camp with the state of NH and a candidate for accreditation by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE). We are members of the Connecticut River Watershed Counsel, Catamount Trail Association, Vermont Outdoor Guides Association, and Maine Island Trail Association. Kroka programs are sponsored by W.S. Badger Company, Inc., our local, certified organic, natural body product manufacturer, and are offered in partnership with Nahual Expediciones, NorthWoods Stewardship Center, and Koviashuvik Local Living School.

How to Choose a Program:Our programs are customized for every class we work with. Each of our itineraries is a template, and is developed in collaboration with the class teacher. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE at www.kroka.org to follow the simple steps of choosing the perfect trip for your class, or call us at 603-835-9087, so we can help you create a program. Together we will discuss your individual class and begin to develop a custom program based on the following:

What are your GOALS and what is the desired THEME / CURRICULUM for your trip? We offer:

´ Programs celebrating graduating classes and a rite of passage experience.

´ Class trips that build community by encouraging class independence and cooperation.

´ Expeditions with an integrated academic curriculum.

What is the LENGTH OF YOUR TRIP?Program lengths vary based on trip themes, locations, and student ages. Programs for elementary students range from 3-6 days. We recommend 8-12 days for grades 8-12.

What is the LOCATION of the trip?We offer programs throughout the United States, Eastern Canada, and Ecuador. Expeditions in New England begin and end at our Kroka Village base camp in Marlow, NH. Ecuador programs begin and end at our sister school, Nahual Expediciones, just outside of Quito, Ecuador. Trips in the greater United States and Eastern Canada meet at the program location.

What TIME OF YEAR is best to travel?Fall trips start off the school year with a community-strengthening experience. September and October are the BEST time of year to travel in New England and Canada. The second half of October and November find us in the South and Southwest of the United States. Winter trips in February and March bring relief from cabin fever, and spice up the middle of the year. Spring trips celebrate the end of a year together as a class community. Ecuador, being on the equator, can be traveled in any time of the year.

Often a program location restricts the time of year available for scheduling.

WHEN to schedule?Our calendar is often full a year in advance. We will fit your group in on shorter notice as the schedule permits.

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KR KAE X P E D I T I O N S

767 Forest Road Marlow, NH 03456school@kroka.org | www.kroka.org

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

P A I DPERMIT NO.1MARLOW, NH