Pine Hill
We like getting lost in the woods. That’s why Pine Hill, our 12-acre outdoor education center, is such an important part of Bement. Under towering cottonwoods and maples, our lower school students lose themselves in studying pond life, watching leaves burst from spring buds, recording insects and amphibians lurking beneath logs, journaling, fort building, or just following the soaring arc of a bald eagle. Upper school students engage in the Leadership in Environmental and Advisory Program (LEAP) designed to increase their competency in outdoor experiences such as camping and wayfinding with a focus on Leave No Trace (LNT), conflict resolution, and community building skills.
With nature trails and campsites, a vernal pond, and indoor classroom space that offers a home base for students and teachers, Pine Hill is a crucial link between our school and the breathtaking nature that surrounds us. From summer camps to weekday lessons, students are engaged in observations, critical thinking, and unstructured play experiences that link their empathy for living things to everyday experiences which help to boost students' self-esteem, motivation to learn, and overall well-being.
It is also a link between our school and the wider community, offering the sort of setting that helps erase those dividing lines that too often separate. We see nature as yet another place to build intentional community, and Pine Hill as a place to do this outside the confines of the normal school day.
For inquiries about Pine Hill at Bement, please email info@bement.org or call 413-774-7061.