Northwood School & GeoCamp Iceland: A Longstanding Partnership in Experiential Learning

In May 2025, we had the pleasure of welcoming students and faculty from Northwood School back to Iceland as part of their LEAP program (Learn, Engage, Apply, Perform). This year’s visit marked the continuation of a collaboration that began in 2017, when Northwood first partnered with GeoCamp Iceland and chose Iceland as a destination for one of the inaugural LEAP courses. From that very first visit, built around themes of geothermal activity and sustainability, the partnership has evolved into one of our most enduring and valued educational exchanges.

Since then, Iceland has become a cornerstone of Northwood’s experiential learning offer, an immersive environment where students explore glaciers, volcanoes, lava fields, geothermal pools, geysers, and plate tectonics. The GeoCamp Iceland team has had the privilege of guiding students through our dynamic and inspiring landscape, providing hands-on experiences in geology, climate change, and renewable energy systems. For us, this has never been just a study tour. Rather a shared journey of inquiry, reflection, storytelling and personal connection.

The 2025 itinerary once again reflected the depth and diversity of Iceland’s natural classroom. Students engaged with the geology of the Reykjanes Peninsula, stood between two continents at Þingvellir National Park, witnessed glacial retreat at Sólheimajökull, and learned about Iceland’s bold energy future at the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. Along the way, they explored culture and history in Reykjavík, relaxed in geothermal pools, and took time to reflect on their experiences together.

Each program is thoughtfully aligned with the LEAP framework, which encourages students to take ownership of their learning through real-world application and performance. We’ve consistently been impressed by the insight, curiosity, and respect Northwood students bring to the experience, and by the dedication of faculty leaders, who continue to foster a culture of global learning and engagement.

At GeoCamp Iceland, we believe deeply in the power of long-term partnerships. Our work with Northwood School is a model of what can happen when trust, shared values, and experiential education come together. We look forward to continuing this collaboration for years to come, and to welcoming future cohorts of Northwood students to learn, explore, apply, and perform in Iceland’s living landscape.