ICELAND

While Outing Club trips are always big on awe, club advisor and science teacher Erika Rhile hoped that someday she could bring students somewhere the Stag Van couldn't go: an outdoor adventure on new terrain that would create treasured memories, foster immense wonder, and strengthen bonds among the participants. In June, the Cheverus Outing Club set forth on an adventure of a lifetime: a trip to Iceland.

Rhile shared how this trip to this Nordic island that sits on the active geological border of North America and Europe came to be. The numerous Outing Club excursions each year are always popular, but as she recalled, "there always seemed to be a core group of students, and this group of seniors had really established themselves by their sophomore year." Students had heard that Rhile had brought the Outing Club to the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2006, and musings of traveling further afield began to percolate during their junior year. The dream became a reality through the tremendous generosity of an anonymous donor. She said that when the club leaders began planning for the '24–'25 school year, they saw the addition of "ICELAND" to the June calendar, and"they went bonkers!"

Outing Club chaperone and math teacher Kathy Little joined Rhile, along with 13 members of the Class of 2025. Little said the most memorable moments came, "when I saw students pause and become present in the moment to appreciate where they were in their lives and in the world."

The group trekked across a glacier that sits over an active volcano; tried Iceland's national dish, hákarl (fermented Greenland shark meat); and hiked around a 196-foot cascading waterfall.

This was a new stamp on the passport of each participant, and as Little said, "Iceland provided the opportunity to capture what is most beautiful in nature and in our group adventures."

Eliana White '25 said there was a contemplative component to the trip, "Even though it was an Outing Club trip, it felt similar to a Kairos or other retreat because
of how we all focused on enjoying each other while we could and taking a moment away from everyday life to stand in awe of nature. I will never forget the wonderful people and places Cheverus has allowed me to connect with," she said. White enjoyed participating in the Outing Club her entire time at Cheverus and said that through the club, she discovered a passion for the environment and plans to study environmental science at Boston College in the fall.

Club President Aggie LaMontagne '25 reflected, "Going on any trip is special, but this trip to Iceland was especially amazing because of the people who went.
I have been a part of the Outing Club for four years, and this trip was such a special way to end my time at Cheverus, with my closest friends who love the outdoors."

Rhile said that the trip was a powerful experience, "There was no doubt our students came away with a sense of awe and wonder, but maybe it's at a level of reverence now." She continued, "I take great joy in watching students face challenges outdoors and fall in love with nature." She also said that the trip simply would not have happened without the generosity of an anonymous donor, "I'm not sure how to best convey my gratitude for the generosity of our benefactor. Without their assistance, this trip would not have happened."