Willowell is bringing back Walden program

As another school year gets underway, the Willowell Foundation is celebrating the start of several new and familiar outdoor education offerings in store for local youth — including a revived version of the well-loved Walden Project.

Matt Schlein is one of several local educators who will retire from their respective positions later this spring. Though the classroom he’ll vacate when summer break arrives looks a bit different than others. 

The Walden Project, an outdoor, public education program run through Vergennes Union High School, was started 24 years ago by VUHS educator Matt Schlein. With his impending retirement, Walden as it has developed will close at the end of the school year.

Addison Northwest Supervisory Union was extremely short-sighted in taking an axe to the VUHS Walden Program in their too-quick budget revision after the first one was rejected.

MONKTON — Cameron McMahon has spent much of the winter soaking up knowledge, and he can talk a brilliant blue streak. Geoengineering, Saudi grazing practices, the history of labor unions, sustainability finance, coppicing, ecology, Norwegian forest manage … (read more)