“The Teton Trip was an extraordinary experience that put me in an environment where I matured and grew in ways that might have otherwise taken me years to accomplish. Instead of being “taught” valuable lessons, I got to self-see and experience incredibly important concepts first hand. Imagine what it’s like to be a kid from the suburbs and come face to face with that mountain range? To say that it redefined my concept of “OMNIPOTENCE” is putting it lightly. The Tetons also helped me see what it is to truly be quiet and still, and to understand my relationship with God and that environment.

The highly transferable life skills that I learned on that trip have stuck with me and served me very well over the years. For example, I got some much needed experience in being calm in a crisis when I came face to face with a huge bull moose for a full five minutes during a solo writing exercise. Skiing was initially very difficult for me, so I learned that being patient with myself and remaining undiscouraged despite many failures is a key ingredient to successfully learning something new. I also had a remarkable physical healing that has proven to be a cornerstone of my study of Christian Science to this day. There’s no question in my mind that these formative life lessons were a natural outcome of participating in that remarkable program and I’ve always been grateful to Principia and its faculty for providing such an opportunity.

I’m a huge fan of experiential education and have planned many, many educational trips for young people over the years — especially in my work with The St. Louis Children’s Choirs. I just got back from taking Upper Schoolers to NYC for the drama trip in early February.”

Phebe Telschow
1987 Teton Trip

“That week in the Tetons was my most memorable week of high school ever! Highlights include the rosemary chicken on the first night, snowball fights, funny quotes, revelations in art and writing, beautiful moon pictures, and late night journaling and sharing inspirational ideas. I still carry lessons with me from that week. I appreciated Greg Houda’s constant “No worries” attitude, finding fresh perspectives on life using unique journal activities, learning to use watercolors to splash a little more color into life, and valuing everyone’s ideas.

The snow of Kelly brought me back to my days growing up in Vermont and inspired me to later pursue a trip to Yellowstone National Park in the dead of winter! I also just returned from a 3 month trip in northern Patagonia, Chile where I was writing the whole time.

Constant memories of unique journaling ideas filled my thoughts as I recorded my journey. Thank you Teton Science Schools, Karla, Eleanor, Court, Nick, Greg, Kristin, Lisa, Mike, and Principia for offering such an unforgettable experience for high schoolers.”

Forrest Bless
2002 Teton Trip

The High Atlas Mountains, Central Morocco

“As we flew home from the Teton trip, we swapped journals around and wrote messages to each other. Several people asked, ‘Did you remember to pack the mountains?’

Fourteen years later, my answer is still, ‘Absolutely.’

I’m writing this from my snow-covered village in the High Atlas Mountains of central Morocco. The mountains out my window aren’t as dramatic as the glacier-carved Teton peaks, but my life here has so many echoes of that week… There are the obvious ones, like the fact that I’ve worn long underwear and wool socks every day for months, and that I’ve got the raccoon-eyed tan of someone who wears sunglasses in the face of sunny snowfields. And then there are the subtle ones: I never imagined that I could draw before Greg Houda opened that door, and yesterday I helped paint a 100 square foot mural on the wall of a school. I didn’t value my creative writing skills before that week, and now I keep a daily blog, sharing my words with the world. My tree-hugging started long before the Teton trip, but I continue to cherish the lessons of “Creative Expressions in Nature” as I work as an Environmental Educator with the Peace Corps. (And before this adventure, I got to use them in my inner-city classroom, where I taught science.) Both in the classroom and out, I love sharing my love of nature.

But most importantly, the same joy in beauty, the same love of the soul-deep peace of mountain mornings, and even the same rejoicing in every one of God’s gifts…the same lights that illuminated the Teton Trip keep shining in my life, and I’m so very, very grateful for it all.

How ’bout you? Did you remember to pack the mountains?”

Liz Fuller
Peace Corps Volunteer, Morocco
1995 Teton Trip

The High Atlas Mountains, Central Morocco • photos by Liz Fuller

“One of the most memorable experiences in high school!
The Teton Trip tied together some of my favorite things: writing, being out in the cold, dabbling in art and being with people in a challenging environment. I remember writing in my diary that I knew I would go back there… and I did. I think I’ve been back 7 times since then, mostly as a climber, but also as a student, sometimes winter, sometimes summer. That trip helped plant some of the seeds which grew into my college major and then a career in the outdoors. I loved the camaraderie between students and teachers and the chance to learn and grow in an informal way while still garnering a valid academic and artistic product–all in the world’s largest intact (non-polar) ecosystem. This was a pretty special opportunity.”

Sune Tamm-Buckle
1999 Teton Trip

Above: Sune on the summit of Grand Teton in 2005

The Teton Trip was one of the most inspiring and learning-filled trips I’ve ever been on! I learned that animals and the environment really are a part of our life, even though we may not spend all day in nature when we are at school, or a job (just in everyday life). But nature surrounds us, and I learned we should revolve around nature and not disturb or destroy it.

The Tetons are intimidating and beautiful. They really put human size into perspective. I never considered myself a naturalist or environmentalist, but seeing this natural beauty showed me that we should be doing everything in our power to protect it.

I had such a great time drawing and doing creative/ artistic journaling while on this trip, and I have looked at my journal nearly everyday since we came back from the trip 🙂 it was truly amazing :)!

Anneke Reed
2009 Teton Trip

(Some pages from my journal:)