When groups leave Iceland, we often find ourselves asking the same question.

What will they remember a year from now?

Will it be standing beside an active volcanic landscape? The first glimpse of a glacier? The sound of Gullfoss? Or will it be something much less obvious?

This July, GeoCamp Iceland welcomed Breck School for the school’s first educational journey to Iceland. Over nine days, students explored Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, hiked to recent eruption sites, learned about geothermal energy and renewable resources, travelled through South Iceland to the glacier lagoons, visited Vestmannaeyjar to understand natural hazards, and traced Iceland’s history from the Settlement Era to modern-day Reykjavík.

Along the way, we discussed climate change, renewable energy, geology, resilience, and how people have adapted to life on this remote North Atlantic island for more than a thousand years. From the first settlers who relied entirely on the natural environment to today’s communities responding to volcanic eruptions and a changing climate, Iceland became more than a destination. It became a place to ask questions.

The Question That Mattered Most

On their final evening, Breck’s teachers asked the students a simple question. “How do you have a better understanding of yourself because of this trip?” Their answers reminded us why experiential education matters.

Some students wrote about putting their phones away and becoming more present.
Others reflected on finding confidence by stepping outside their comfort zones and building friendships with classmates they barely knew before arriving in Iceland.

Several mentioned becoming more aware of food waste and understanding that sustainability isn’t just an idea discussed in classrooms. It’s something expressed through everyday choices, including supporting local communities and businesses.

One student wrote about sitting quietly at Gullfoss, wondering what future generations might experience if climate change continues unchecked. Another reflected on seeing Iceland’s political leadership and realising that governments do not have to look the way she had always imagined.

And one comment, in particular, stayed with us: “Touristy things can be fun, but it’s more important to find your own Narnias. The impromptu moments, talking to locals, finding their favorite spots and learning from them.”

It is difficult to imagine a better description of the kind of travel experience we hope to create.

And the “Narnias” they mention? We knew exactly what they meant. They aren’t famous landmarks or places you’ll find at the top of a guidebook. They’re the hidden corners that reveal themselves unexpectedly when you’re out in nature, a hidden canyon, a quiet lava field, a hillside with a view no one was expecting, or simply a place where the group decides to stop and take it all in. They’re the moments when someone says, “I had no idea this was here.”

​Those places are rarely the reason people come to Iceland, but they often become the reason they remember it. They remind us that the most meaningful experiences are often found just off the beaten path, where there is time to slow down, explore, and discover something that feels like it was waiting just for you.

The Moments You Can’t Put on an Itinerary

People often assume that educational travel is defined by where you go. In reality, it is often defined by everything that happens between the destinations. At GeoCamp, we spend months planning programmes, confirming accommodations, monitoring weather forecasts, arranging transportation, and making sure every detail works. Those things matter because they create the conditions for learning.

But the moments students remember are usually the ones no one could have scheduled.
They are the conversations during a hike. The shared challenges that build confidence. The quiet moments spent simply sitting in nature. The stories exchanged around the fire at our family farm after a long day in the field.

Those experiences create space for reflection in a way that classrooms rarely can. As guides, we also receive something in return. Every group allows us to revisit landscapes we know by heart through fresh eyes. Places we may have visited hundreds of times suddenly feel new again because someone notices something we have overlooked or asks a question we have never considered.

That may be one of the greatest privileges of this work.

Thank You, Breck School

We are grateful to everyone at Breck School for trusting GeoCamp Iceland with your first programme in Iceland. Your students approached every experience with curiosity, openness, and a genuine willingness to learn—not only about Iceland, but about themselves and each other.

As one of your own journal prompts reminded students before they arrived: “Return home with stories, skills and a better understanding of the world… and of yourself. Because in the end, the most important destination is not the place you visit. It is the person you become on the journey.”
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Reading the students’ reflections, we have a feeling that journey has only just begun.
We hope this was the first of many visits from Breck School to Iceland.

This June, we had the pleasure of welcoming students and faculty from Boston University Academy for their first educational journey with GeoCamp Iceland.

As part of the programme Powering Possibility: Climate and Sustainability, students explored how climate, energy, and sustainability intersect across some of Iceland’s most dynamic landscapes. From walking between tectonic plates in Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark to visiting geothermal power plants, glacier lagoons, volcanic landscapes, and communities shaped by natural hazards, the group experienced Earth systems in action.

Along the way, students examined renewable energy, climate science, geology, and community resilience while engaging with local people, scientists, and practitioners. Field experiences at places such as Þingvellir, Heimaey, Sólheimajökull, Fjallsárlón, and Hellisheiði provided opportunities to connect classroom learning with real-world challenges and solutions.

What made the experience especially meaningful was the curiosity and engagement the students brought to every conversation, hike, and field stop. Whether discussing volcanic eruptions, glacial retreat, geothermal innovation, or the future of sustainable communities, they embraced Iceland as a living laboratory for learning.

Thank you to Dr. Lizzy Karnaukh, Rose, and Dave, as well as everyone at Boston University Academy, for choosing GeoCamp Iceland for this inaugural programme. And thank you to the students for being such curious, engaged, and responsible travellers throughout the journey. We look forward to seeing where this partnership leads next.

In 2026, GeoCamp Iceland had the pleasure of welcoming students and faculty from Mercersburg Academy for the school’s first educational journey with GeoCamp Iceland. More than simply a study tour, the program reflected a shared commitment to experiential learning, student curiosity, and the belief that some of the most meaningful lessons happen far beyond the classroom walls.

What made this visit particularly unique was the philosophy behind it. Inspired by Mercersburg’s Global Programs vision, the Iceland experience was designed to be shaped by student interests and questions. Rather than following a rigid itinerary, the programme was built around flexibility, allowing students to explore topics ranging from geology and climate change to history, culture, sustainability, photography, and geopolitics. GeoCamp Iceland worked closely with Mercersburg faculty to create a journey that could adapt to the group’s interests while showcasing some of Iceland’s most dynamic landscapes and communities.

The journey began on the Reykjanes Peninsula, located within Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, where students were introduced to Iceland’s unique position atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Visits to the Bridge Between Continents, Gunnuhver geothermal area, and the volcanic landscapes surrounding recent eruptions provided an immediate and tangible connection to Earth systems in action. A guided visit to Grindavík, a community profoundly affected by recent volcanic activity, added a human dimension to discussions about natural hazards, resilience, and adaptation. Students learned not only about geology, but also about how communities respond to uncertainty and change.

Throughout the programme, Iceland itself became the classroom. In Reykjavík, students explored the country’s history and democratic traditions. At Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant, they witnessed how Iceland harnesses renewable energy on a national scale, turning volcanic activity into a sustainable resource for electricity, heating, and innovation.

The group then travelled into the Icelandic highlands and South Coast, where learning became even more immersive. In Þórsmörk, surrounded by glaciers, rivers, and volcanic mountains, students experienced firsthand how Iceland’s landscapes have been shaped by the interaction of fire and ice. Hiking through this remarkable wilderness offered opportunities for reflection, observation, and a deeper appreciation of Iceland’s natural environment.

The group also walked on Sólheimajökul glacier, transforming conversations about climate change from abstract concepts into direct experience. Students could see evidence of glacial retreat, discuss changing environmental conditions, and connect global climate challenges with real-world observations. Later, visits to iconic waterfalls such as Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss illustrated the powerful relationship between Iceland’s glaciers, rivers, and landscapes.

The journey continued east to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, where floating icebergs and black sand beaches offered striking visual reminders of Iceland’s constantly evolving environment. Here, students explored themes of climate, geology, and natural processes while experiencing one of Iceland’s most spectacular landscapes.

Another important chapter of the program focused on natural hazards and community resilience. In Vestmannaeyjar, students learned about the dramatic 1973 volcanic eruption that threatened the island community of Heimaey. Through visits to Eldheimar Museum and exploration of the island itself, they examined how a community responded to disaster, rebuilt, and adapted. Discussions about sustainability, resilience, and human ingenuity were brought vividly to life through local stories and experiences.

The program also highlighted Iceland’s innovative use of renewable energy and sustainable food production. At Friðheimar, students saw how geothermal energy supports greenhouse agriculture, allowing tomatoes to be grown year-round despite Iceland’s northern climate. Along the Golden Circle, visits to Gullfoss, Geysir, and Þingvellir National Park connected themes of geology, energy, history, and environmental stewardship.

Mercersburg Academy’s first visit to Iceland is a great example of true educational travel when students are given opportunities to explore real-world challenges in real-world settings. Whether standing on a glacier, discussing resilience in Grindavík, examining renewable energy systems, or hiking through volcanic landscapes, students encountered a country where science, sustainability, history, and culture intersect in visible and meaningful ways.

At GeoCamp Iceland, we were delighted to be part of this journey. We share Mercersburg’s belief that education is strongest when it combines curiosity, exploration, and reflection. Iceland’s landscapes may have provided the setting, but it was the students’ questions, conversations, and engagement that brought the experience to life.

As the Icelandic proverb reminds us, glöggt er gests augað (the eye of the visitor often sees more clearly than the eye of the host). Every group that travels with us offers fresh perspectives and new insights into the places we call home. For us, hosting educational groups is also a learning experience. Through the eyes of our visitors, we continue to discover new stories, new questions, and new ways of understanding Iceland.

We thank Mercersburg Academy for placing their trust in us for this first Iceland program and look forward to seeing how future groups shape their own versions of this remarkable journey. The landscapes may remain the same, but every group leaves its own unique imprint on the experience.

Last week was one of those moments where GeoCamp Iceland truly felt like a crossroads of ideas, curiosity, and field-based learning.

At one point, we were simultaneously hosting four very different educational groups from across the United States, each bringing their own academic focus, questions, and perspectives into Iceland’s ever-changing landscapes.

University of Maine joined us for the second year in a row, for an intensive earth systems and climate-focused field program, travelling deep into Iceland’s volcanic and glacial environments. Their itinerary explored everything from tectonic activity and geothermal systems to glacier dynamics, carbon capture, and the legacy of Iceland's numerous eruptions. The group also met leading Icelandic scientists, researchers, and writers, including Páll Einarsson and Andri Snær Magnason, connecting scientific understanding with the human stories behind climate change and environmental transformation.

At the same time, students from Central College Iowa travelled around Iceland examining the relationship between landscape, sustainability, communication, and culture. Their program combined geology and climate science with Icelandic history, renewable energy, saga heritage, and community resilience, from Westman Islands and Þórsmörk to geothermal power plants and Reykjavík’s cultural life.

Coginchaug Regional High School focused strongly on outdoor education, earth systems, and sustainability, exploring Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark and the South Coast through hands-on learning and field excursions, discussing volcanic hazards, renewable energy, glacier retreat, and environmental responsibility. The program reflected an important part of what we believe at GeoCamp Iceland, that meaningful education happens when students connect directly with the world around them.

Meanwhile, the University of New England approached Iceland through the lens of arctic tourism, sustainability, and destination development. Their students met with tourism organisations, local businesses, and regional stakeholders while exploring how Iceland has adapted to volcanic eruptions, climate challenges, and rapid tourism growth. From Reykjanes and South Iceland to Reykjavík and top tourist spots, the group examined how tourism, nature, and community intersect in a country shaped by constant natural change.

Hosting four groups simultaneously is always a challenge, but also a reminder of how powerful educational travel can be when learning moves beyond the classroom and into the field.

And for us at GeoCamp Iceland, it is also a reminder of just how rewarding it is to experience our own country through the eyes of visitors. Every group notices something different. Every conversation brings new perspectives. In many ways, every program becomes a learning experience for us as well.

And the semester rush is far from over.

This week, we are also welcoming new groups from Marist College, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, SUNY Oneonta, and Mercersburg Academy, as the end-of-semester season continues to bring students and educators from across the United States to Iceland.

In April, GeoCamp Iceland hosted a group of students from Tri-County Technical Center in Dexter, Maine, led by educator Erin Towns. Tri-County is a public career and technical education (CTE) school serving students from multiple districts, offering a wide range of programmes designed to develop practical skills and prepare students for further education and employment.  

The visit to Iceland was designed as an extension of this approach, with a focus on field-based learning and outdoor education. Throughout the programme, students worked directly in a range of natural environments, including geothermal areas, volcanic landscapes, and glacial systems. Activities were structured around observation, documentation, and interpretation of natural processes, with students applying methods such as data collection, photography, and drone-based recording.

The emphasis was on understanding active Earth systems in real conditions. This included examining geothermal activity, identifying geological features in volcanic terrain, and observing glacial processes and indicators of environmental change. Rather than working with simulations or case studies, students engaged with the landscape itself as the primary source of information.

The programme also supported the development of transferable skills aligned with technical education. Students worked in teams, recorded field observations, and interpreted environmental data. The use of technical tools in the field—such as drones and digital documentation—provided a direct link between classroom-based learning and applied practice.

This type of outdoor learning environment allows students to connect theoretical knowledge with practical experience, particularly in areas related to environmental science, natural resources, and technical disciplines.

It’s hands-on, immersive, and sometimes a bit unpredictable — just like the careers they’re preparing for. That’s the power of outdoor learning. We thank Erin and Tri-County for showing us this in real life.

All images from Erin Towns

Moorestown Friends School joined GeoCamp Iceland in March as part of their Intensive Learning program, bringing a group of curious and reflective students to explore Iceland through the lens of climate, sustainability, and community. Rooted in Quaker values such as stewardship, equality, and service, the program encourages students to engage deeply. With place, with people, and with each other.

Throughout their time in Iceland, students documented their journey in a series of blog posts. What follows brings together their reflections, capturing not just where they went, but how they experienced it.

The Golden Circle: Connecting Systems

“One of the key lessons we learned… was about the equality of women in Iceland.” Travelling the Golden Circle, students visited Þingvellir, Geysir, and surrounding sites, connecting geological processes with Icelandic history and society. From tectonic boundaries to erupting geysers, the day offered a deeper understanding of how natural systems shape both land and life. Read the full student blog.

Adaptability: Learning the Icelandic Way

“In many places, plans define the experience. Here, the ability to change them does.” When weather disrupted plans, the group adapted—visiting museums, exploring local spaces, and finding meaning in the unexpected. The Icelandic mindset of Þetta reddast became more than a phrase; it became part of the experience. Read the full student blog.

Final Reflections

Across all their writing, one thing stands out: This was not just a trip, but a process of learning through experience.

Through changing weather, powerful landscapes, and meaningful encounters, students connected science with real-world context ... and with their own values.

At GeoCamp Iceland, we also recognise that every visit is a two-way exchange. We relish the opportunity to experience our own country through the eyes of our visitors (glöggt er gests augað). Each group brings new questions, new perspectives, and new reflections that deepen our own understanding of the landscapes we work in every day.

In that sense, every student trip is a learning experience for us as well. We are grateful to the students and faculty of Moorestown Friends School for their curiosity, openness, and thoughtful reflections. For allowing us to be part of their journey and their story.

This is what field-based learning looks like in practice.

On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse will pass across parts of the North Atlantic and Iceland. For scientists, educators, and students alike, a total eclipse is a rare opportunity to observe how sudden changes in sunlight affect the Earth’s atmosphere and environment.

At GeoCamp Iceland and within Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, we are exploring an exciting collaboration with a student research team from Hanover High School in New Hampshire, USA, who plan to conduct a high-altitude balloon (HAB) research mission during the eclipse.

The project is led by science educator Kevin Lavigne and the Hanover High Altitude Ballooning and Engineering Team (HHS HABET)—a student group that designs, builds, and launches scientific payloads to the edge of space.

This collaboration has already begun to take shape through direct exchange. On 24 February, Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson and Arnbjörn Ólafsson from GeoCamp Iceland visited the Hanover team in New Hampshire, meeting with students and gaining first-hand insight into their work, facilities, and approach to hands-on science and engineering. The visit helped lay the groundwork for what is now developing into a shared international project.

From the Classroom to the Edge of Space
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The Hanover students are not just learning about science—they are doing it.

As Kevin Lavigne explains, “The HABET team is a group of students working together to design, build, and launch scientific experiments to the edge of space using high-altitude balloons. What started as a single project has grown into an ongoing programme where students take ownership of meaningful scientific and engineering work.”

At its core, the idea is simple, but powerful: “We want students to do real science. That means solving problems that don’t have easy answers and working as a team toward something ambitious. We want them to see that they are capable of doing work that matters—not someday, but right now.”

This philosophy aligns closely with the approach of GeoCamp Iceland—where learning is grounded in real environments, real data, and real questions.

Real Science, Real Data, Real Responsibility

The students already have extensive experience with high-altitude research, including NASA-supported eclipse campaigns in the United States.

“Students have launched multiple high-altitude balloon flights, designed their own payloads, and collected real scientific data from near space,” Lavigne says. “They’ve worked on atmospheric conditions, radiation, magnetic fields, and cosmic rays—and even presented their work at professional conferences like the American Astronomical Society.”

The balloon payloads themselves are sophisticated systems. They include instruments that measure radiation, magnetic fields, cosmic rays, and environmental conditions, alongside tracking systems and imaging equipment. 

But beyond the technology, the real learning happens in the process.

“It’s hands-on, it’s real, and it requires teamwork,” he explains. “Students aren’t following a script—they’re building something that has to work in a challenging environment. They test, adapt, and figure things out together.”

The Iceland Eclipse Campaign

The proposed Iceland Eclipse Campaign would bring the Hanover team to Reykjanes for a focused field experience centred around the total solar eclipse. The programme combines outreach, preparation, launch, recovery, and data analysis within a short and intensive timeframe. 
Looking ahead to the mission, Lavigne describes the opportunity clearly: “We’ll be traveling to Iceland to work with students and teachers during the total solar eclipse. Together, we plan to launch high-altitude balloons carrying scientific instruments to study how conditions in the atmosphere change during the eclipse.”

One of the most exciting aspects of the project is its collaborative nature.

“The goal is not just to bring our project to Iceland, but to work alongside Icelandic students,” Lavigne says. “That could include preparing payloads, participating in launch operations, and exploring the data together afterward. We want this to feel like a shared experience.”

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark offers a powerful setting for this collaboration. A landscape shaped by volcanic activity, geothermal energy, and tectonic forces becomes the backdrop for a project that connects Earth systems with space science.

And the ambition goes beyond a single event. “We hope students in Iceland see that science is something they can actively be part of,” he adds. “You don’t have to wait until university to do meaningful work. If this sparks curiosity or confidence, then we’ve done something right.”

At the beginning of March, GeoCamp Iceland welcomed a group of 19 teachers from Denmark who visited Iceland as part of an Erasmus+ KA1 job-shadowing mobility organised by UCL University College in Denmark. The visit focused on learning more about outdoor education and natural science teaching in Icelandic primary schools, and how local landscapes can be used as an active learning environment.

During their stay, the teachers visited two primary schools in Reykjanesbær – Heiðarskóli and Háaleitisskóli. There they were introduced to everyday school life and had the opportunity to observe a variety of regular classroom lessons with different teachers. The visits provided insight into teaching practices in Icelandic schools and created space for discussions about pedagogy, student engagement, and ways of connecting classroom learning with the surrounding environment.

Introducing the ACADIMIA Project

The programme also included an introduction to ACADIMIA – the European Teacher Academy for Creative and Inclusive Learning, an Erasmus+ project that brings together partners from across Europe, including GeoCamp Iceland.

ACADIMIA focuses on strengthening teacher education through creative and inclusive teaching approaches, supporting educators in developing new methods that can engage diverse groups of students. The project promotes practices such as creative learning, collaborative teaching approaches, and innovative pedagogies that help teachers create more inclusive and engaging learning environments. Through international cooperation and training activities, the project aims to build a strong European network of educators sharing ideas and experiences.

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark as a Classroom

GeoCamp Iceland also guided the group on a full-day field excursion across Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. The excursion focused on how landscapes shaped by volcanic activity, geothermal energy, and coastal ecosystems can serve as an extended classroom for science and environmental education. Throughout the day, discussions centred on how teachers can use natural environments to support observation, inquiry, and hands-on learning.

The programme included a visit to Grindavík, where the group experienced the dynamic conditions of the Reykjanes Peninsula firsthand, along with some authentic Icelandic weather, as the day included a refreshing snowstorm during the outdoor activities.

The visit concluded at the Suðurnes Science and Learning Center (Þekkingarsetur Suðurnesja), where the Danish teachers were introduced to the centre’s work in marine research, environmental monitoring, and science communication.

International Exchange Through Education
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The visit provided an opportunity for professional exchange between Icelandic and Danish educators and highlighted how international collaboration, outdoor learning, and creative teaching approaches can enrich education both inside and outside the classroom.

News that Reynisfjara has “dramatically shifted” has travelled fast. Basalt columns now stand in the sea where sand once buffered the cliffs. Sections of beach have been eaten away. Access points look different. Visitors are surprised. Locals are unsettled.

But this is not new. This is Iceland.

We live on an island that is constantly being reshaped. Volcanoes build it. Glaciers carve it. Rivers rearrange it. Wind strips it bare. The North Atlantic tests it daily. The land gives and the land takes.

As with the rest of the Icelandic coastline, Reynisfjara has always been dynamic. The black sand is not permanent ground. It is volcanic sediment in motion. Strong easterly winds and persistent winter surf have simply accelerated what the ocean has always done along the South Coast. Moving material, redistributing sand, exposing rock, reclaiming space.

And sometimes, it reverses.

Arnbjörn Ólafsson
​Managing Director of GeoCamp Iceland

Reflections on a transformative professional development journey—now featured in The Exeter Bulletin, Fall 2025

When eight science faculty members from Phillips Exeter Academy travelled to southwest Iceland for a six-day field experience last August, they stepped directly into the landscapes that have shaped Iceland’s identity, energy systems and scientific innovation. Their journey—guided by GeoCamp Iceland and designed in collaboration with the University of Iceland—has now been captured in a full feature in the Exeter Bulletin (Fall 2025). It’s a thoughtful and beautifully told reflection on what happens when educators immerse themselves in one of the world’s most dynamic geoscience environments.

For GeoCamp Iceland, welcoming the Exeter team was a natural fit. Their backgrounds in physics, chemistry and biology aligned seamlessly with our mission: to turn Iceland into an active learning space where teachers and students can explore Earth processes, sustainability and climate change first-hand.

A Week of Hands-On Learning in Active Landscapes

The article highlights how quickly Iceland reveals itself as a “living classroom.” Under the guidance of Öli (Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson), the group traced fresh lava flows, learned how seismic activity is monitored in real time, and followed retreating glacier margins shaped by warming trends over the last decades.

At one glacier site, they knelt to taste water streaming from newly exposed melt channels—rivulets forming almost in front of their eyes. These “glacier tears,” as one instructor described them, underscored the urgency and emotional resonance of studying climate change on location rather than in theory.

Energy Systems, Geothermal Innovation and Sustainability

The Exeter faculty also toured the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant, where they explored Iceland’s renewable energy infrastructure and the now-world-famous CarbFix project, which mineralises carbon dioxide back into stone.

Their reflections echo a key message we share with all visiting groups: Iceland is not only a landscape shaped by natural forces but a laboratory for sustainable solutions. Seeing miles of geothermal pipelines snake across the valleys, witnessing CO₂ turned into basalt, and discussing the ethics of resource use gave teachers a fuller, more critical view of how societies navigate energy transitions.

People, Culture and Perspectives on Stewardship

The journey wasn’t purely scientific. The Exeter Bulletin piece describes meaningful conversations about Iceland’s social history and cultural ethos—especially the responsibility Icelanders feel toward protecting their natural heritage.

The group visited historical sites, discussed conservation pioneers like Sigríður Tómasdóttir of Gullfoss, and explored how geothermal abundance shapes both daily life and national debate. Teacher Susan Park summarised the experience powerfully: “To be in conversation with a living author who is immersed in the cultural significance of a global science-informed issue was fascinating.”

That author was Andri Snær Magnason, whose book On Time and Water many of the teachers had read before the trip. Their afternoon with him became a masterclass in storytelling, climate communication and hope.

A GeoCamp Tradition: Hospitality and Community

As with many GeoCamp trips, the week ended not in a lecture hall but at a family table—this time at Öli’s farmhouse, where stories, songs and camaraderie flowed as easily as the geothermal hot water beneath the region.

These moments matter. They remind visiting educators that science is lived, shared and embedded in community.

Why This Matters for Teachers—and for GeoCamp Iceland

Exeter’s article captures exactly why faculty development trips in Iceland are so impactful. Teachers return home with sharper tools, richer analogies and a stronger sense of connection between Earth systems and human choices. Their students benefit from that excitement—and from lesson plans grounded in direct field observation rather than distant abstraction.

For GeoCamp Iceland, this collaboration reaffirms the value of our approach: outdoor learning, close partnership with experts, access to cutting-edge science, and authentic encounters with Iceland’s landscapes and people.

We are grateful to Phillips Exeter Academy for sharing their experience so thoughtfully—and we look forward to welcoming future groups who want to step into the same extraordinary classroom.

​Read the Exeter Bullitin [PDF]