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For months, August 31 loomed on the horizon: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. And not just day one of 2026-27 but the very first day of Clark Fork Prep. Ever. Despite three years of planning and prepping, organizing and endless list-making, we could not predict exactly what that first day would bring. Sure, rafting down the Alberton Gorge seemed like a fun activity for teens–and we knew Montana River Guides would keep us all safe and happy. And yet a few unknowns remained. Would the weather hold? (Yes!) Would someone fall in? (Yes–but just one; the rest jumped!) Would the gangly group of awkward teenagers who boarded the bus in the morning transform into a cohesive, cheerful community by day’s end? (YES!) Since that first magical day on the river, we’ve been delighted by the continued relationship-building among our seven incredible students. In addition to Tea Time ping pong and some friendly disc golf competition, they also engage in smart literary conversations (who is the true villain in Animal Farm?), ask interesting history questions, gamely participate in the surveying of macroinvertebrates (an activity which required wading in the Clark Fork River), and introduce themselves–quite enthusiastically–in French. But maybe the best part of working with these kids is witnessing–in just three weeks–their willingness to work hard, to struggle a bit. They are learning to trust their own capacity to wrestle with challenges and come out the other side–with new skills, new knowledge, and a new awareness of their own capabilities. We founded CFP because we know teenagers have enormous potential, and getting a chance to see some of it develop over the past weeks has been deeply gratifying. These are exactly the students we imagined–what a gift to work alongside them!
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