New Students Embark on Wilderness Orientation

CRMS’s Wilderness Orientation is designed to introduce all new students to the value of service, teamwork, challenge, physical fitness, and adventure. This ten-day backpacking trip also serves the important role of introducing new students to the values and philosophy of the CRMS educational experience. The skills taught on Wilderness not only benefit students on subsequent wilderness adventures, but also provide them with valuable lessons and strategies that will help them better approach everyday life at CRMS and beyond. Additionally, each wilderness group undertakes a three-day trail service project in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service.

Wilderness Orientation strives to instill within students the school’s values of respect, responsibility, and excellence. Sample Wilderness Orientation backpacking routes include areas in the nearby Hunter Fryingpan and Snowmass/Maroon Bells wilderness. In summary, CRMS wilderness experiences teach students intentionally targeted competencies that lead to a more confident, competent adulthood.

For a slide show of some of this year's students out in the field click here.

CRMS Teacher Recognized as River Educator of the Year

CRMS's Kayo Ogilby was selected by Roaring Fork Conservancy Magazine as the River Educator of the Year. Click here for the full story.

CRMS Bike Shop Featured in Mountain Flyer Magazine

Nestled in a shady grove of cottonwood on the banks of the Crystal River in Carbondale, Colo., is a cottagestyle building surrounded by grass and flower gardens. The swirling shush of the water and chirping finches greet visitors as they walk toward the quaint building. This unlikely spot is home to the Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) Bike Shop, where high school students learn about and repair bikes for the school and the Carbondale community. For the rest of the story click here.

CRMS Becomes Home to 70+ Blacksmiths for the next 3 days

The annual Rocky Mountain Blacksmith conference is in town this weekend today, Thursday (August 6^th) through Saturday (August 8^th) at the Francis Whitaker Memorial Blacksmith Shop, on the Colorado Rocky Mountain School campus. The public is invited to watch demonstrations and view the gallery each day from 8 am to 5 pm and watch over 70+ blacksmiths practice their trade. Take Country Road 106 in Carbondale to the CRMS campus and park at the Barn. www.crms.org

Thank you CRMS Dean of Students

I wish to thank Jennifer Ogilby, dean of students at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, who personally sponsored a group of nearly 40 high school age students at our July 18 production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

This self-described group of “brainiacs” (affiliated with the Aspen Science Center, in the HS(2) program) was a most appreciative and respectful audience and their enthusiasm gave a huge boost to an already raucously fun show! At the talk back discussion following the show, the students asked great questions and seemed to be completely engaged with the actors and their stories. In fact, the “talk back” went both ways, with the actors asking the HS(2) group questions about what they do and what they were studying. It is exactly the kind of interaction we celebrate and encourage at the theatre.

Thank you, Ms. Ogilby and CRMS, for a memorable evening!

Paige Price

artistic director, Theatre Aspen

(Aspen Times, August 5, 2009)