On Tuesday, October 18th, SHS juniors attended a field trip to Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Walden Pond was once home to renowned writer and transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau. As students in AP Language and Composition read Thoreau’s work and learned how his retreat at Walden Pond inspired his writing, this field trip allowed them to step into his famous book from 1854, Walden.

Connecting with the outdoors while walking around the pond, students enjoyed the fresh October air as they explored the scenic land once owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson. SHS junior Thygeson Smith commented, “It was an indulgent experience in nature and gave me a new perspective of transcendentalism and the beauty of our natural world.”

Although grade-wide field trips happen infrequently, they provide a new environment to foster curiosity and engagement among students. Smith said the 45-minute walk around the pond was “tiring,” but he enjoyed the scenery and learned to “appreciate nature for the day.” His classmate, junior Nicholas Mutter, said, “I learned what Walden Pond looked like and the environment and nature of Henry David Thoreau’s studies.”