March 3, 2018
Walt:
Windward is a place where people come to experience transitions--in nature, in culture and, most importantly, within themselves. To facilitate that process, we utilize an academic model that groups people into the categories of interns and apprentices, assistant stewards and stewards.
Life here is like life on any other campus in that most people come in order to learn, and then leave in order to apply what they've learned. But some interns will become apprentices, and some of them will choose to stay on campus as assistant stewards (our version of a grad student) so that they can deepen their understanding of the art and craft of creating sustainable community. In time, a few of those will decide to remain here as stewards (our version of post-grads) to shepherd the systems they've helped develop, and to mentor others who want become part of the web of sustainable life.
Each person comes to Windward with their own individual goals and passions, with the result that we experience the same sort of participation cycles that one sees in other educational formats. Right now, we're wrapping up one cycle and are embarking on the next. This is an exciting time for us in that our experience has been that each new class of apprentices puts their personal mark on a different part of the sustainability puzzle.
Some of the interns and apprentices that join us for the 2018 season will choose to stay on and become the Class of 2020 as they make the transition from eager student into seasoned mentor. It's exciting stuff, and we're looking forward to meeting our new friends and companions. Will you be one of them?