In today’s technology-driven world, it is easy to forget the importance and beauty of nature. However, at Deerfield, students and faculty consciously try to appreciate and connect with the natural world surrounding us. From the lush greenery on campus to diverse wildlife, the Academy’s surroundings provide an ideal environment for students and faculty to enjoy nature. Across the Deerfield community, students find ways to appreciate the natural world.
This past fall, Ocean Feng ’24 and Theo Lewis ’24 started Deerfield Academy Nature Races, where students race in various settings and sports activities. Inspired by their love for nature, they started the races for people to enjoy the natural environment Deerfield has to offer. In a video played at the school meeting on October 12, 2022, Feng interviewed students on why they love nature and featured Head of School John Austin jumping in the river to inspire more students to partake in the triathlon in the fall. Feng said that Deerfield’s natural beauty makes him “really appreciate [campus’ surroundings] and try to get other people to appreciate it as well.” His favorite spot on campus is the bench by the Deerfield River with the words “Come sit and watch the sunset with me” etched on it. Feng described the space as a “great spot to just watch the sunset and be away from school.”
Apart from the Deerfield triathlon, some students enjoy nature through sports activities. Isaac Bakare ’24 and Carson Bynum ’23 appreciate nature by running on campus throughout the school year. Bakare said, “Seeing the sunsets was always nice on my runs.” They also enjoy observing the unique hues of the changing seasons and taking the cross country exemption in the winter term allowed them to appreciate the light colors of the winter and transition to the vivid colors in the spring. Bynum said, “Being able to see multiple different seasons can be helpful instead of just going out when it’s super warm and convenient.” During the track season, Bynum and Bakare’s Boys Varsity Track and Field team heads down to the lower fields after practices to play sports and hang out in the warmth of the sun.
Meghan Holland ’23 tries to go outdoors and spend every day in the spring and fall either in the river, going on bike rides with her friends, or going down to the lower fields. Her favorite spots to watch the sunsets are the stairs behind the Athletic Center that overlooks the Lower Fields, the roof of the Koch Center, and down Mill Village Road.
Deerfield’s faculty also find ways to appreciate nature outside of class. Science Teacher Toby Emerson enjoys nature at Deerfield by fishing in the river, walking around campus, watching sunsets over the western hills, and cycling with friends. His fondest part of nature at the Academy is the large Buttonball tree in front of the Main School Building. With a 25-foot trunk circumference and an age of 400 years, the tree is “an incredible statement on how old the tree and how enduring nature can be,” according to Mr. Emerson.
Environmental Science Teacher Rich Calhoun loves finding quiet natural places on campus where he can “find a sense of solitude that allows [him] to find grounding and reconnect with the importance of [his] work.” His teaching enables him to appreciate the interconnectedness of all the ecosystems on campus, whether it is the water that flows from Eagle Brook Ridge or the correlation between the weather in Massachusetts and the global climate. In his Environmental Science class, students learn about the effects of climate change at Deerfield, where “winters are growing shorter and warmer, with more severe summer heat waves.” Students visited a maple tree farm, where production is decreasing due to changing temperatures. Mr. Calhoun said, “We, as humans, sometimes think of ourselves as far apart from the natural world. But, in reality, we are part of the natural world.”
Clara Chae
As spring rolls around, it is important for students and faculty to enjoy the sunshine outside. One common piece of advice was shared: Go outside! Even if you don’t try the activities described, there is plenty more to do outdoors at Deerfield. You can go on a bike ride, borrow a friend’s scooter, do homework in the hammocks, participate in Shriv at the Riv, join the fall triathlon, or even just go on a walk! As Holland said, “to realize that what we have here is not what a lot of people have. Realizing that and taking advantage of it while you can is really important.”