Community is more than just a buzz word at HMI. While many students are drawn to our school for our wilderness program–it is the members of the HMI community who leave the most lasting impact. Students and teachers at HMI interact in far more than in the traditional ways. HMI teachers are backpacking instructors, running partners, and mentors. Our alumni report extraordinarily close relationships with their teachers and peers—ones that helped them take risks, try new things, and learn to be the people they hoped to be. As they return to their sending high schools, our students seek to recreate the most positive elements of the HMI community. They seek out authentic relationships, work to reduce their dependence on technology and social media, and “rise above” negative adolescent social dynamics.