Wells Alling Graney
Family Weekend
Family weekend started off on Friday night with a thirty minute deep clean of HMI. We all had to do our chores and make sure that HMI was in the best shape it could be for our parents.Then, we started marching from Barnes, our main building, to the Head of School’s house, singing songs, and making sure that our arrival was known. There, we got to meet up with our parents for the first time in months.
One of my favorite memories was when my friend’s twin surprised him and showed up on their birthday. The whole semester watched as they were reunited and everyone felt the shared sense of happiness. Then, everyone went out to dinner in Leadville with their parents. It was fun seeing everyone and their parents “in the wild” for the first time.
Saturday morning started off with a 7:30am two mile walk to give parents a glimpse of what morning exercise, AMX, is like. At 9:00am, after breakfast, classes started. I had history and Sarah, the history teacher, created a great activity to show our parents what we learned this semester. Parents were split into a team with students on one team, and siblings on the other team. We were then tasked with putting historical events we learned during the semester in order. We beat the parents by a huge margin and it was a great time.
At the end of the day, we had a chance to show our parents the HMI expedition experience. It was cool to show our parents how to set up a mid, how to use a whisper light, how we sleep, and how we live in the backcountry. The day ended with dinner, with all the faculty, parents, and students crowding into Who’s Hall, our dining hall. Finally, there was a slideshow full of the best moments from the semester so far, and then everyone said their goodbyes for fall break.
Jonny Giragos
A Day in the Life
Every day at HMI is different. You always learn something new, laugh with someone else, or appreciate a different aspect of the day. The day is long and exhausting, but always rewarding. It starts at around 6:45, with morning exercise (AMX). I run two miles to the beaver ponds, then come back and take a steaming shower. Breakfast is at 8; scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit. Twenty minutes of chores follow, and then I get my firrst hot chocolate of the day. Class goes from 9-12, and at noon we have lunch. Whether it’s chicken and rice or sandwiches, you can count on a filling meal for the rest of the day. My personal favorite lunch is on Tuesdays, when we have burrito bowls and cookies.
After lunch, I like to have my second hot chocolate, or maybe a bagel. From 1-5:35 we have class again, and by the end of it I’m falling asleep. I have a few free blocks every week, which gives me a nice break in the afternoon. Usually I play a game with a few of my friends. In the fall, it was spikeball, then pickleball, and now that it’s December, it’s four square. Dinner is a good wake up call as well, followed by two hours of study hall, a great time to get work done or hang out with friends. Then it’s time to wind down for the night. I make a fire in our cabin, hang out with everyone then go to bed. Is it long? Yes. The classes demand a lot out of you, and the day can sometimes feel never ending. But is it worth it, for the memories and the learning you experience? Absolutely.
Alden Kellogg
Life in Cabin Two
Living in Cabin Two has easily been one of the best parts of my experience here at HMI. For teenage girls, it can often be hard to find an all female space where everyone feels cared for and supported, but Cabin Two is one of those rare spaces that does exactly that. There is no judgement or jealousy. I have gotten to know the seven other girls in my cabin so well over the past few months, and every day I am more grateful that I get to live with them. Who wouldn’t want to have a slumber party with their best friends every single night?
Our nights are filled with honest chats around the fire, laughing, dancing, and the occasional clothing swap or frenzied cleaning session. Being able to experience these moments together is always such a joy. I have never met anyone kinder, sillier, or funnier than the girls in my cabin.
I originally came to HMI because I had two older cousins who had gone here . They both loved the experience so much, and I would constantly hear stories of all the fun they had. Recently, my cousin wrote me a letter saying that both she and my other cousin were also in Cabin Two when they were students. I was surprised because I had no idea, but I felt as if it made so much sense. I know it’s only a small part of the equation, but I attribute their absolutely incredible experiences here to the fact that they were in Cabin Two. There is something truly special about Cabin Two, and I am so grateful to have experienced it.
Asher Oden
Jimmy’s Spaceship
One of the main reasons I came here to HMI was to meet new people that I can click with and develop friendships with. And, from the very beginning, Jimmy’s spaceship (Cabin 3) has been my home away from home.
The friendships I have developed in my cabin far surpassed my expectations. My fellow members of Jimmy’s space don’t just feel like friends, but family that will last a lifetime. Just like any household, we’ve had our ups and downs, but in the end we’re strong for it and those lows solidify our bond as a cabin. There’s no better feeling than coming into the cabin after a long day, a fire blazing, everyone piled into one room chatting until 10:00 turns to 2:00 and we, one by one, fall asleep.
The name Jimmy’s spaceship comes from the first Exped, where we discovered an alien-like worm in Xavier’s water bottle that we decided to name Jimmy. Jimmy traveled with us across mountains, and through rivers and then sadly he died due to an accident with a stick. Later, back in our cabin we took a group photo. In the background, there appears to be a little alien ghost thing behind us, and so from that moment on, our cabin became Jimmy’s Spaceship.
Ella O’Neil
Morning Runs at HMI
Throughout my HMI experience, I have grown to love morning exercise (AMX) more and more each day; it has become one of my highlights of my semester. AMX is not just an amazing opportunity to prepare for upcoming expeds or sports at home, but it also gave me a fresh start to my day. On the mornings we run, I find I am more productive with my day and awake during my classes. The majority of time we spend at HMI is on the campus or during expeditions, so without AMX I would never get to explore the area of Leadville. I wouldn’t get to run through the sun’s morning glow as it hits the snowy mountains. I wouldn’t have the joy of getting stopped by a herd of elk.
AMX also gives me quality time with my friends. I look forward to my morning runs not just because of the stunning views, but also because of the genuine conversations I have with my friends. Sometimes being on campus can feel chaotic and overwhelming, but running in the morning gives me 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with others just to chat about life at HMI and back at home. This allows me to learn more about many others here at HMI when on campus. I am so grateful for AMX; it has taught me the value of starting my morning of productive, outside, and with others.
Isaac Ostro
The Things I Didn’t Know I’d Love, and Will Miss
As I am about to begin packing up my gear and preparing to leave, I find myself savoring every last detail of my amazing life here at HMI. I am going to miss every aspect of my day, even the sucky parts. I’m going to miss the bitter cold, and I’m also going to miss sitting around the warm fire with my friends in Cabin 6. I’m going to miss the gross meals we cooked on exped that we laughed so much about, and I’m going to miss the feeling of reaching Mt. Massive’s summit. I knew that HMI would be special, but I didn’t know just how much it would shape me. Living with forty other kids has taught me the value of vulnerability and the strength that comes from leaning on others. The sense of belonging I have here is profound; I’m not sure when I’ll feel it again.
I’m going to miss being challenged and being pushed out of my comfort zone. Through these challenges, I discovered a resilience I didn’t know I had. Even the smallest details, like the crackling of our wood stove and the squeaky sound of the frosted boardwalk, will forever be in my mind. Most of all, I will miss the rhythm to life here at HMI. It feels so different from the fast pace of the outside world. It is slower, intentional, and fulfilling. As the semester is winding down, I can already feel nostalgia for moments yet to pass. I know I am taking away more than just memories from here; I will take a little part of this place wherever I go.
