Idaho Arrival – One Month Away

65 degrees and mostly sunny — the current weather in southern Chile. 6780 miles north, things are slightly different. A low of 22 degrees and 6-10 inches of snow is expected on our Idaho campus today and tomorrow. While students enjoy mid-summer in Chile, some staff remain in Idaho and are working hard to prepare for the cohort’s arrival in just one month. 

The cracking of splitting firewood harmonizes with owl hoots and squirrel chatter. The smell of hearty soups and homemade granola waft out of the Confluence Building kitchen. The crisp mountain air compels deep breaths and a panorama view displays a blanket of white spread uniformly over campus. Underneath this cozy and serene picture, there is work to be done and preparations have already commenced to welcome Spring 2020 students to Idaho. 

Since early autumn, Lead Facilities Caretaker, Mick Riffie, has been felling dead trees on campus and splitting rounds to fill wood boxes with firewood for student yurts and classroom buildings. Community Food Director, Scott Krumm, and Julie Cleveland are deep cleaning Alzar School’s kitchen facilities and starting to prepare meals for the challenging task of feeding 63 hungry teenagers and staff each day. Paths, stairs and decks are continually cleared of snow and ice, floors are being swept and bathrooms scrubbed, all done with excitement and anticipation for the community to arrive.

With 104-acres of river front property and dozen or so residential, classroom and administrative buildings, it takes numerous hard-working people to maintain, improve and prepare Alzar School’s Idaho campus for the arrival of students. Soon bunk beds will be made, fires stoked and (to the thrill of all) internet passwords provided in order to make our Idaho campus home for Semester 16. It won’t be long now!