Why We Travel: 4th and 8th Grade at Headwaters
Oct 15, 2026 | by The New Village School
For the first time, our 4th and 8th graders headed out on an NVS trip together. They spent several days at Headwaters Outdoor School, an outdoor education program in Shasta that offers immersive opportunities in nature, with an emphasis on self-reliance, primitive skills, environmental stewardship, and a deep connection with the natural world.
The two grades spent much of their days engaged in different activities, but they shared meals and some evenings together. This gave our 8th graders an opportunity to step into a leadership role and help support our younger students through their first longer trip away from home.
As with any aspect of our curriculum, we aim to select work that most benefits our students at a particular time in their development. Each trip is meant to meet students in a particular way, and sometimes one place can offer something very different to children at different stages of development.
In 4th grade, children begin to experience themselves more strongly as individuals, separate from the adults around them. In Waldorf education, this period is sometimes referred to as the “nine-year change” or “Crossing the Rubicon.” Children often begin to experience new questions about belonging, responsibility, independence, and their place in the world.
And so, during this time, our students take their first longer trip away from their parents, spending four nights away from home. While the supportive and comfortable place children call home is absolutely essential, we also believe it is important for children to occasionally step beyond the familiar. Travel gives them the opportunity to see the world with other supportive and caring adults guiding the way, and to discover that they are capable of more than they may realize.
At Headwaters, they get to do this in nature, which adds another dimension to the trip. Surrounded by the forests and mountains near Mount Shasta, our 4th graders began the experience with Tim, the founder of Headwaters, sharing, “The purpose of this trip is for each of you to deepen your personal relationship with nature.” They began by climbing an ancient Douglas fir tree, but not simply climbing it. Once nestled among the branches, they were asked to become completely silent, to feel the tree beneath them, and to imagine becoming part of the tree itself. The children helped thin the forest and carved medicine sticks that they could keep for the rest of their lives. They built their very own shelter and, as a class, slept in it together, with Mr. Sam stationed at the door! They covered themselves in mud and played the most epic game of hide-and-seek. They hiked deep into a lava tube, turned off their headlamps, and sat together in complete darkness, true darkness, for five full minutes. Not an easy task for a 4th grader! In the roundhouse, their attention turned to animals. Tim passed around bones, feathers, and wings from animals he had found in nature or from beloved pets who had passed away. The children held each one reverently, taking time to notice and appreciate what was in their hands. Then, through song, drumming, and reflection, Tim helped each child discover their own power animal, a beautiful connection to the animal reports they will complete later this year.
When children travel, they inevitably have to stand a little taller. They take greater responsibility for themselves and begin to develop the muscle of solving problems on their own. No matter how carefully a trip is planned or how carefully bags are packed, something will inevitably come up that needs figuring out. We believe those moments are precious. They are opportunities to practice independence, build confidence, and discover that they can meet the world with greater capability than they knew they had.
Through these experiences, children deepen their relationships with nature, with one another, and with themselves.
And what about the 8th graders? Our 8th graders have already traveled together and developed greater independence through experiences including Joshua Tree, Mexico, and Japan. Their time at Headwaters had a different purpose.
We returned to Headwaters so that they could begin their final year at NVS with a “Solo Sit,” a meaningful rite of passage centered on reflection, courage, and connection with nature.
After choosing their sit spots, building shelters, and creating a class code of honor with Tim, the students began their sits at 3 p.m. and remained outside until the following morning, away from the usual comforts and distractions of daily life.
It was not easy. The sit was challenging, and each student experienced it differently. There was thunder in the distance that evening. Luckily, the rain never reached us, but it was chilly and, for some, uncomfortable. That, too, is part of why we travel. One student spent their time making cordage out of grass. By morning, the rope was incredibly strong and as long as they were tall!
Before beginning their sit, each 8th grader authored a “Honor Code” – a list of commitments made to shape how each student entered adulthood. Students pledged to honor the earth, to keep their word, to conquer false fear, and to keep their word. Students brought their honor codes to their sit spots, allowing them to contemplate each of their commitments.
The following morning, Tim made the call. All the fourth graders cheered and clapped to the beat of the drum as 8th graders returned from their sit spots. They gathered for a celebratory breakfast of pancakes, fruit, and sausages and began talking and reflecting on what they had experienced. Some of the meaning was immediate; some will likely take much longer to unfold.
A few of their reflections:
“I remember being here in 4th grade and climbing up that same Douglas fir tree. I was told I couldn’t climb higher than the platform until I was older. Well, now I’m older, and I got to climb all the way to the top.”
“I remember Bear Hill, where an evil neighbor bulldozed the land to build a road, and how we helped the trees grow back by building little rock walls around them. Well, four years later, it’s amazing to see how much has grown back.”
“I really enjoyed doing the sit at Headwaters. It was comforting to build up to it, choosing our place and talking about it before it began, and to be with people who have done many sits before.”
We do not travel simply to go somewhere far away or to give students something that looks impressive on paper. We travel because there are things children can learn about themselves, about one another, and about the world that are difficult to learn while sitting in a classroom or staying within what is familiar.
Sometimes those lessons come through a beautiful hike or a night around a fire. Sometimes they come from having to figure something out without a parent nearby. Sometimes they come from being uncomfortable, tired, or unsure of what comes next.
Our hope is that, through these experiences, our students gradually come to know themselves as capable people who can meet the world with curiosity, courage, responsibility, and care.
And that is why we travel.