Hannah Vasconcellos Hastings
My name is Hannah Vasconcellos Hastings and I live in Andover, MA. I participated in the Landmark 2007 Berkshire Natural Resources Council and Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood program. The two weeks I spent in the Berkshires were two of the most rewarding, exhausting, and exciting weeks of my life. The first week was spent creating a new trail at a Berkshire Natural Resources Council property. We were split up into groups to work on different projects throughout the week. I spent the greater part of that week constructing a 36-foot long bridge with two other girls. Pounding the last nail into the final log was the best moment. Our project was the only one seen from start to finish. The whole group came together to carry two 24-foot long trees to their final destinations. It was hard work, but we supported each other to finish the job. Everyone ate lunch together in the woods; we had all worked up appetites by the time lunch came around. The second week was spent at Tanglewood, a beautiful outdoor performance property. The work was much easier, but it was a well-deserved break after the six days of hard work in the woods.

When I first arrived at the school that became our home I could not imagine making friends with all of these random people I found myself with. By the middle of the week we had all learned to work with each other. The first night we worked out our rules as a group with the help of our team leader, Tara. We made sure that chores and meal preparation would be evenly spread, and had our routine down to a science by the middle of week one. By the end we were sad to see each other leave, but had the memories of innumerable inside jokes. I still keep in touch with many of my group-mates via Facebook.

I would suggest Landmark programs to all teenagers. I think the kind of outdoor work that many of the programs offer is a key component missing from school curriculums. The sense of empowerment and accomplishment you get is so much better than getting a good grade on a test. You are doing things that positively affect people outside of what you typically consider to be your community. My one suggestion is that you have a full understanding of what you are signing up for and why. The work is hard, but also fun. Be prepared to give your all to your projects, because the group cannot do it without you.

Now I am a senior at Andover High School and have applied early decision to Smith College for Women. I will regrettably not be able to attend a Landmark program this summer because of my age. However, I intend to look for a Landmark-like program for teens entering college because I loved it so much. Landmark helped me hone my leadership skills and taught me how to live and work with people very different from myself.

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