August Transitions: A Time of Change

Identifying Tree Friends Around Place Corps Campus

“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” – Eric Hoffer

Hello friends,

It is August and we are reflecting on last year when our first cohort of residents moved into the Place Corps house and campus nestled between cow fields and tucked between the Catskill and Berkshire mountains. We celebrated with pizza baked in the back of a pick-up truck and sat around a makeshift table until sundown with the mosquitos having their share of our ankles.

That was a different reality from the one we are all in now. There are no large groups sitting around tables, freely embracing with joy and anticipation of that good back-to-school feeling. Instead, in this moment, many families and individuals are struggling to know how to step into radically disrupted schools and learning environments. 

Place Corps started as an organization concerned by the traditional models of education. We did not and do not believe that they equip people with the skills and aptitudes needed today to thrive. While the pandemic has caused tremendous trauma and loss, and will continue to do so, it has also brought change. This is an incredible moment for people to ask “What do I value most in education?” “What do I prioritize in a learning environment?” “What should I give my attention to?” This is an epic moment in our collective history to ask questions related to the systems we have complacently been participating in, especially our education system.

We are excited to be rolling these questions around as we consider the continued development of Place Corps learning programming and models. We are also growing more excited about our incoming 2021 Regenerative Design fellows at Hawthorne Valley. We have begun enrollment and will welcome a new cohort in January. More than ever we need change-makers prepared and skilled to know, love, and serve their places for the greater good.                                                                                        

Warmly,

Dawn Breeze
Director

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream.

A dream you dream together is reality."
― Yoko Ono