At Merrowvista, we value the need to address the social issues present in a child’s daily life in order to maximize academic and social learning. Research tells us that when a child feels social anxiety, the brain’s ability to absorb new information in limited. At Merrowvista, we create a learning environment and community where young people feel a sense of belonging, safety and trust. Programs include conversations and strategies to transfer these lessons back to their school and home communities.

Merrowvista is situated within a unique ecosystem. Its volcanic mountains and lake, forests, wetlands, streams and meadows provide a rich, bio-diverse environment for students to learn about the world around them. Concepts discussed in class take on new meaning through hands-on exploration. Shared experiences such as making it to the top of a mountain, collaborating to successfully build a raft, or celebrating a discovery at the beaver dam build connections that can reshape the way students work together back at school.

We offer 3-season heated duplex-style cabins, each with beds for up to 16 children and 3 adults. For larger groups or winter programs, we also offer a fully winterized lodge.

Our staff supervises children throughout all structured program activities. Teachers, administrators or chaperones serve as the primary guardians, and are responsible for free time and overnight supervision.

We are committed to a student to Merrowvista staff ratio no higher than 12:1.

Following our Food Program guiding principles, we aim to serve a variety of healthy options, including a balance of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables incorporated into a child-friendly menu.

We are able to accommodate certain allergies and dietary needs. Merrowvista is a peanut aware facility. We do not serve peanuts or tree nuts from our kitchen during meal service. In addition, we can provide vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free options with advance notice. We may ask families to provide certain food items for children with complex allergies or dietary needs. We are committed to making a plan that works for everyone. Please contact us if you have questions about our offerings.

Our staff members are passionate about their work. Many of them have backgrounds in education, youth development and environmental education. They all hold first aid and CPR certifications, are at least 21 years old and have had background checks run against multiple national and local databases.

We hope Merrowvista feels special to every group we work with. Though there may be some small overlap between communities, we typically reserve our 600 acre site for one group at a time.

Weather in New Hampshire is quite variable from day to day and season to season. Appropriate clothing and gear will depend on the length of the program, time of year, and scheduled activities.

We enthusiastically welcome children with diverse backgrounds, experiences and identities. We value each participant’s right to fully experience Merrowvista free from prejudice and harassment. All of our staff members are trained to supervise children and to prevent and address incidents of conflict or bullying based on any aspect of a person’s identity, including, but not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation.