As of fall, 2024, the HMI Semester is now led by two co-directors: Sergio Juárez, who oversees student & residential life, and Tate Castro who oversees academics and faculty. We sat down with Sergio & Tate to ask them about their backgrounds, connections to HMI, and if they’ve ever started a ski team in a Middle Eastern desert city.
Sergio Juárez, Director of Students and Residential Life
Tell us a bit about yourself. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico. After college, I spent 10 years in Chile, then six years in Dubai, and four in New Hampshire, and now I’m here! I’ve always worked in education, especially in outdoor education.
How did you originally fall in love with the outdoors?
I think it was a mix of 1) the National Geographic magazines that were delivered to my house every month, and 2) my parents’ adventurous spirit. They had a Westfalia VW bus, which we used to travel all over Mexico. My dad was a scuba diving instructor, so I got to experience ocean life from a young age, and then eventually I took it upon myself to expand into mountaineering, rock climbing, and so on.
What is a favorite memory of spending time outdoors with young people?
I have two: one professional and one personal. Professionally, when I worked at the White Mountain School in New Hampshire I was the coach of the “Students of Color Winter Sports” group where we took students skiing, ice skating, and ice climbing. For many of these students ice climbing seemed like an impossible feat. But to see these people that look like me, or that have similar backgrounds to my own, find success in sports that seem so out of reach for us at such a young age really gave me a lot of purpose.
And personally, it was with my own son, Santiago, who is now 18. He has always followed me into the outdoors, be it through skiing, rock climbing, ice climbing, or whatever sport, and I’m always teaching him–I am the mentor. But a few years ago, he got into white water kayaking–a sport I’d never done before. Eventually he invited me to join and that switch of positions in which he was the mentor, he was teaching me and taking care of me–to me it was a very rewarding full circle moment.
Tell us about the ski team you started in *checks notes* Dubai!?
Yeah, it turns out that in Dubai–the land of contrasts and luxury–they have a ski hill inside one of their malls. It’s actually a pretty decent place to go skiing. And since the international school where I worked had a sister school in Switzerland with a team, we decided to start training a ski team at the mall. We would take students there two or three times a week and we started traveling to the Alps to compete each winter. At first, we were clearly the underdogs but by our third winter, we started winning! I think we had such fast success because when you are on a climatized ski hill, your season is all year long. And when you have the exact same pitch and snow quality, you can really work on refining your racing skills. So by the time we arrived at the competition, our technique was very dialed. And obviously, my students were very committed, very hardworking. In the end, it rendered a few medals and a lot of surprise and admiration from our European counterparts!
You are an HMI dad. What was that like to have Santiago do HMI Gap?
I think there were a few very important lines of connection when he did the Rock Gap semester. First, I’ve been rock climbing since I was a teenager and he’s been rock climbing since he was just a little bit older than a toddler. And he loves it. But for him to take it upon himself and go learn more from other people and get really involved in a program that provides that experience and those climbing skills was super valuable.
Secondly, he’s always attended the schools where I work so for him to still enroll in a program at my new school makes that connection so much more meaningful. Again, I find purpose in what I do. I love the institutions I work for–even more so because they are also helping me shape my son into a better version of himself.
You are 1.5 semesters into your new role at HMI. What’s it been like?
It has been endearing to help shape an institution that aligns so much with my beliefs and values of what education should and can be. And it’s been rewarding to see students grow so much in such a short time. I was originally a little skeptical about how much we can really impact a student in four months. But after seeing the first semester go through, I was blown away with how well the program works and how much meaningful gain we produce in a very short time.
Tate Castro, Director of Academics and Faculty
Tell us a bit about yourself. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Los Angeles, in the big city. I really enjoyed growing up there. I went to some great schools and one of them sent a ton of kids to HMI so I learned about HMI pretty early on in middle school and was super jazzed about it. When it was time for me to get the opportunity to go, I was so excited!
You were a student in HMI Semester 27 in fall, 2011. How did that experience impact you?
My experience here was pretty life-changing. It really changed the lens through which I viewed the world and myself in it. It impacted how I consume things, and my role in being a good steward of the environment. It also showed me the power of what a community can do for somebody—how being a part of a community can change a person and help them grow. From 16, I was very hooked on the power of this place and this community.
HMI seems like a place you keep coming back to. How have you stayed involved over the years?
I was a student in 2011, an apprentice for Semester 44 in 2020, and on the Alumni Council from 2020 to 2024. Now, I work here. It has been such a pleasure to give back to a place that has given so much to me. Seeing students go through what I went through and transform—this is what education is all about. It fills my cup and brings me joy. This is what I dreamed about at 16. It really is a dream come true.
What professional roles have led you back to HMI?
I earned my undergrad degree in education and then spent seven years in the summer camp industry as a camp director and executive director in Los Angeles, gaining insight into programming and logistics. I also have a master’s in counseling, which is incredibly helpful in working with people. Education, programming, and human interaction are the core of HMI. I feel uniquely prepared to use my skills to help improve this place.
You are 1.5 semesters into your new role. What’s it been like?
It’s been a wild ride. I showed up in the fall, the same day the students showed up, so I feel a deep connection with Semester 53 students. It’s been really great to come back to a place that feels familiar but is changing in great ways to better the student and adult experience. At its core, the student experience is still very similar to what I had. Talking to alums from Semester 1 or 2, their experience sounds similar too. It’s awesome to see that fundamentally, we are doing the same thing we were in 1998. It feels really good that we’ve kept the core values of HMI while still improving around the margins.
How’s Leadville been treating you?
I love Leadville. Coming from LA, it’s pretty much the polar opposite, but being in a place that feels like a community—where I go to the grocery store and see people I know—feels really grounding. Ever since HMI, I’ve been looking for community, and this is the first time since I was a student that I’ve been in a place for an extended period where I feel like I’m a part of it rather than just a face in the crowd. It feels really great to put down roots.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 HMI Newsletter.