“Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life.” John Muir

  Lake Tahoe has a lot of pine trees and thus presents a wonderful opportunity for young adults from all parts of California to learn new vocational, educational, and recreational skills. We hold class four nights a week in the John Muir Charter School classroom. Students pursue their high school diploma through individualized plans. They study the subject areas where they are deficient in terms of credits and/or skills. Every class session includes a group breakout time where we discuss current events, solve a challenge, or read a book. In the last couple of months we have read Into the Wild, Out of the Dust, and An American Plague.

  At the Tahoe Center we explore between the trees through our Outdoor Education program. Nearly every weekend (and at least every other weekend) we offer excursions into the wilderness around Tahoe. In the last year we have taken students sailing at sunset on Lake Tahoe, whitewater rafting on the American River, top rope rock climbing on sierra granite, mountaineering up local peaks like Mt. Tallac, Freel Peak, and Job’s Sister, backpacking along the partially snow covered Pacific Crest Trail, and snowshoeing and snow camping at 9,000 feet near Carson Pass. Though all corpsmembers spend their days working in the woods on different natural resource projects, few have had the opportunity to recreate in nature. They are often in paradoxical situations like building trails, while never having hiked along a trail on their own. These trips can be powerful experiences that show students they are capable of being successful in a variety of challenging environments beyond what they already know. We also work hard to integrate our wilderness excursions into our classroom. Our use of topographic maps out in the field is complemented by referencing maps in our classroom readings and discussions. Academic field opportunities such as these integrate learning and living, challenging students to learn not only from their books, but also from the natural landscape in which they live.