Over the next 5 days, we will introduce our US students (in alphabetical order). We are SO excited -- we meet in Albany, New York, in just a little over two weeks, and then -- GREENLAND!
Sam Blair shows off his camp cooking skills -- delicious chocolate chip pancakes!
Sam Blair is a 17 year old from the small town of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He grew up exploring the outdoors, and he feels a strong connection with the natural world. Being outside has played an important role in shaping his identity and values; he believes that nature is extremely important in helping to promote self-discovery and empathy. Sam is excited to learn more about the complexity of nature from a scientific perspective, which makes JSEP an amazing opportunity for him.
Sam is a rising senior at the Hotchkiss School, a boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut. His greatest interests are English, philosophy, music and science. Going to Hotchkiss has allowed him to explore many different academic directions at the same time: he currently studies stream ecology, existentialism and jazz guitar alongside American literate, trig, and German. Sam is passionate about the humanities, but likes exploring different disciplines and discovering new interests. He does best academically when he can see the connections between his work and real life experiences.
Sam’s interest in experiential, nature-oriented learning led him to the High Mountain Institute (HMI) in the Colorado Rockies, where he spent the fall of his junior year. HMI is a semester school for high school juniors focusing on leadership, intentional living, backcountry exploration, and environmental ethics. There, Sam learned to cook acceptable meals for forty people without setting the kitchen on fire. He spent six weeks hiking in the backcountry, staggered through a 10 mile Fun Run with classmates and teachers, and made the best friends of his life. Every night he got to see the sun setting over the Rocky Mountains, and every morning he woke up to the sound of eight other guys falling (sometimes literally) out of bed and stoking the wood stove that kept their cabin warm. Throughout it all, HMI inspired Sam to seek out challenging and unique experiences while remaining open to the unexpected in himself and others.
Sam spent the summer of his eighth and ninth grade years adventuring and volunteering at Project Native. Project Native is a nonprofit seed bank and plant nursery that protects local biodiversity by raising and replanting native plant species. He spent the summer of his tenth grade year working at Fairfield Farm, a local farm that raises livestock, poultry and vegetables. This summer, Sam plans to work at a local environmental activism group called Green Berkshires, which protects the rural Berkshires from aggressive industrial development.
JSEP appeals to Sam because it is both scientific and experiential. He looks forward to getting to know new people from many different cultures, both within and outside of the US. The scientific focus of JSEP will push Sam in a new direction, challenging him to build on his interest in the natural world in new ways. All in all, JSEP is going to push Sam far outside of his comfort zone and, he anticipates, create many exciting and meaningful opportunities.