Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program (RKMP)

Berkshire School boasts an asset no other college preparatory school can claim: Mount Everett, the second highest mountain in Massachusetts. Berkshire celebrates the mountain it lies beneath with the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program (RKMP), named after a 1985 alumnus who died in 1992 while climbing Mount Foraker in Alaska.

The RKMP encourages students to interact with natural resources and fosters an interdependency between the campus and its natural surroundings. More specifically, the RKMP uses Berkshire’s natural resources to promote academic growth, to challenge athletically, to teach leadership, to develop character and to foster environmental responsibility.

RKMP faculty offer afternoon alternatives to traditional team pursuits, as well as a Beyond the Mountain program through which they guide students on domestic and international wilderness trips. The program also promotes a healthy group dynamic among sports teams who use the low and high initiatives of the school ropes course. The RKMP provides both leadership and financial support in the campus-wide commitment to environmental stewardship. Through these many activities, students gain greater insight into themselves and the world around them, and learn to develop as individuals within the natural environment.

Fall

Rock Climbing, Canoeing, Camping, Mountain Biking, Trail Building, Backcountry Skills

Winter

Boat Building, Paddleboard and Surfboard Building, Nordic and Backcountry Skiing, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering

Spring

Mountain & Road Biking, Trail Building, Backcountry Skills

Clubs

Fly Fishing, Hiking, Maple Syrup Corporation

Trips

Rock Climbing
Hiking and canoeing off-campus excursions will be offered in the fall and spring.

Join RKMP

Students may participate in RKMP programs in lieu of a competitive sport. Programs run for approximately eight weeks, or the duration of each athletic season.

Generally, a student need not have any wilderness experience to go on a trip, and most of the needed equipment is provided by the RKMP. The trips vary according to the interests of the student body.

Ultimately, this program gives students memorable experiences by exposing them to uncertain outcomes and acceptable risks through the exploration of exciting, yet unfamiliar cultures and environments.

About Ritt kellogg

"Ritt Kellogg didn't just live life — he devoured it," says Steve Kaczmarek '85, a friend and classmate of Ritt's at both Berkshire and Colorado College. "For him, life was a spectacular journey, never a destination."

Above all, Ritt Kellogg loved the outdoors. His affection for the Berkshire campus and the mountain that surrounds it, inspires everyone at Berkshire School to study, respect and preserve our natural environment.

In 1994, Ritt's friends and the Kellogg family celebrated his life with an endowment to establish the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program.

Leadership Award at Berkshire
Maple Syrup Corporation

Leadership Award at Berkshire

Each year, two students are awarded the Leadership Award at Berkshire. The award recognizes students who have shown genuine leadership potential and provides scholarships for them to attend the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine. The School offers a rigorous hands-on learning model through outdoor adventure including sailing, sea kayaking, and rock climbing programs.

Brooks Hamilton '16 received the Leadership Award at Berkshire and attended the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in the summer of 2015.

Hurricane Island Outward Bound Leadership Awards were created to bring top students from select schools on an expedition course in the summer after their sophomore or junior year of high school. Award recipients are individuals who have shown genuine leadership potential at their alma mater. Outward Bound courses challenge participants to learn new skills, work as a team, care for the environment and further develop leadership skills. Berkshire School officials will determine the award selection process. Examples of leadership considered in the application process may include: student government, community service, or other activities where students demonstrate a determination for excellence.

High School Applicants: The Leadership Award at Berkshire School will be awarded to two high school students, either sophomores or juniors, with demonstrated leadership potential and a desire to take a wilderness expedition course. The award covers full-tuition* for two students to attend a Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS) course in Maine for sailing, canoeing, and/or backpacking. Award recipients might be limited on course choice by age or time commitment. HIOBS offers 14-day courses to 14-, 15-, and 16-year-olds and 22-day courses to 16-, 17-, and 18-year-olds. HIOBS recommends eligible students to maximize their Outward Bound experience by taking a 22-day course.

Additional Policies: Previous Outward Bound scholarship recipients are not eligible. The Leadership Award at Berkshire School covers full tuition for either a 14- or 22-day wilderness expedition. Once the selection committee at Berkshire School choses the award recipients, the Leadership Award Recipient Course Application form should be completed and returned to Debbie Murray at Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (address below) by close of business on March 31, 2014. Applications may be submitted any time prior to the deadline, as the sooner a course application is received the better chance the award recipient has to be placed on their top choice of course. Note: Berkshire School’s selection committee hopes to announce the award recipients sometime in early to mid-February.

*A $125 application fee and $125 transportation fee are not included in the award. Travel to and from the course start and end, clothing and gear necessary for the course are also not included in the award. Berkshire School’s Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program may be able to assist with some of the camping gear required. Financial assistance may be available for an eligible student.

For further information on this award contact Mr. Dalton at mdalton@berkshireschool.com

Maple Syrup Corporation

The Berkshire School Maple Syrup Corporation makes maple syrup and provides students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to participate in this process. Sap is collected across campus and boiled down in the Arthur C. Chase Sugar House, named for the legendary Berkshire teacher. The Berkshire School Maple Syrup Corporation's goal is to create a strong sense of place and ownership in the school community through hard work, fun, and delicious maple syrup.