Laura Nunez

The Field Academy offers students and teachers an alternative understanding of what is regarded as knowledge, where it can be found, and who is entitled to share it. The Field Academy’s commitment to inquiry and place-based education allows untold stories to be told by those who hold local knowledge and can embed their story in a bigger system.  Such as lobstermen and women in Portland, Maine who share with us how they make a living but can simultaneously discuss the political environment of union organizing, as well as an empirical understanding of climate change’s impact on Maine fisheries.

The beautiful part is that this type of learning holds truth for teachers and  students of The Field Academy. As educators we are invited to show up as whole beings and thus teach English, history, science, and leadership from our lived experiences and commitment to filling in the gaps in the books as best as we can. As students, we are encouraged to share our stories and write about them - to reflect on the intersectionality of our identities, commitments, and our intellectual agendas. We make connections between our homes and the communities we encounter on our trip.

​It takes a lot of love to invest in re-contextualizing knowledge into the real world. A love for each other, a love for the land, and a love for humanity. We trust each other with making The Field Academy a safe space to challenge conventional wisdom and we leave The Field Academy with the responsibility of telling the stories of the people we met and the struggles of communities to thrive. The Field Academy offers an unforgettable experience.  For me, it became the beginning of a liberating project.  

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Laura is a member of Field Academy class of '11 and is currently is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania. She was a teaching intern on our 2015 writing-intensive expedition in New England where, among myriad other things, she led a weekly class called "Real Talk with Laura" that explored questions of race, culture, immigration, gender, and sexuality.