Calendar
Subject to change! Check back frequently for updates.
The Mystical Arts of Tibet at UMass
As Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery create an intricately designed sand mandala from more than a million grains of colored sand, we will have the opportunity to observe the process and learn about Buddhism through sacred art. We will also create and take home our own mandalas and participate in a brief introduction to mindfulness. The cost is $3.
April Outing: Foxtrot Herb Farm
Details TBA. North Star will be open; all morning classes and one-on-ones will be canceled.
Presentations
An opportunity for teens to share whatever interests them! A hobby, maybe, or something about their year at North Star, a performance, or their art…
Special Activities and Family Meetings
Two weeks of family meetings (including teens and as many staff as are able to participate). Simultaneously, we’re offering a variety of activities teens can choose from when they’re not in family meetings.
The Shindig
Our end-of-the-year celebration. We say goodbye to those who are not returning in the fall, enjoy some performances, and share a potluck meal.
March Outing: Eric Carle Museum
Details TBA. The North Star building will be open; afternoon classes and one-on-ones will be canceled.
Service Trip to San Juan
(Revised dates) Service Trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Commitment required by September 30, 2025)
Cirque Flip Fabrique: Blizzard performance at UMass
Imagine a storm so powerful it creates a wintery canvas in which anything is possible. Now step into the mesmerizing world of Blizzard by Cirque Flip Fabrique, in which acrobatics, artistry, and awe inspiring performances combine to create a thought-provoking and unforgettable experience of visual poetry. Tickets are $10. Let your advisor or Loran know if you want to go and this is not affordable for you.
February Outing: TBA
North Star will be open, all morning classes and one-on-ones will be canceled
January Outing: Ice Skating
Details TBA. North Star will be open. All afternoon classes and one-on-ones are canceled.
Bake-a-Thon for Amherst Survival Center
Help bake 30+ pies for the Amherst Survival Center’s annual community dinner! We will take over the Sunderland Congregational Church’s kitchen and bake everything from scratch. Sign up with Loran.
Soweto Gospel Choir performance at UMass
Through a blend of African gospel, African American spirituals, reggae, and American popular music, South Africa’s Soweto Gospel Choir celebrates hope, unity, and resilience in the most difficult of times. The ticket cost is $10; let your advisor or Loran know if you would like to go and this is not affordable for you.
November Outing: Historic Northampton (Slavery and Freedom Exhibit)
Learn more details of the lives of local enslaved individuals and the narratives of enslaved people becoming free. Historic Northampton staff will share information about the legal arrangements that kept slavery in place; how enslaved labor fueled the Northampton and regional economy; and the research at Historic Northampton, Forbes Library, and elsewhere in the Valley that underlies the exhibit. As we explore the exhibit, we will discuss personal connections to this local history and discover what questions we still have about slavery in Northampton.
October Outing: Mike's Maze
For our October outing, like we do for most years, we’ll take a walk down the road and spend the afternoon at Mike’s Maze. The cost is $10 per person; let your advisor or Ellen know if this is not affordable for you. Family members are welcome. The corn maze (now in its 25th year!) features lots of fun activities, cute animals, and they have food for sale. The North Star building will be open this afternoon; afternoon classes and one-on-ones will be canceled.
Ballet Hispanico performance at UMass
An opportunity to see this world class dance company in a short performance at the UMass Fine Arts Center. Family members welcome. Tickets are $10 (if you would like to go and this is not affordable, speak to your advisor or Loran).
September Outing: Kayaking in Millers River
An optional, all-North Star outing to kayak in Millers River with Billy Goat Boats. Sign up in advance with Saleem or on the bulletin board. Cost $, let your advisor or Saleem know if the fee is not affordable for you. The North Star building will be open, classes and one-on-ones are canceled.
First Day of Classes and One-on-Ones
Check out the classes that interest you in this first two weeks of exploratory time. You can also schedule your weekly check-in with your advisor, and your cleaning crew day.
Potluck Lunch and Official Kickoff of 2025-26
Let’s officially welcome each other to the 2025-26 North Star year! Bring something to share for lunch. Families and friends welcome.
Volunteer Day at Franklin County Fair
Work together to help set up the Fair! Let Loran know by 9/2 if you’d like to participate. We will meet at the Fairground at 10:00, or let Loran know if you need a ride from North Star (meeting there at 9:30). We’ll work in the morning, take a break for lunch, finish by 2:00, and possibly go to Greenfield for an ice cream afterwards. Everyone who volunteers gets a free ticket to Franklin County Fair (September 4-7). Bring your lunch, water, a hat, sunscreen, and money for ice cream just in case :).
Warm-Up Days, Day One
First Community Meeting of the year, meet your advisor, scheduled activities (details coming soon)
Circus Smirkus presented by North Star
Extraordinary traveling teen circus, performing at Franklin County Fairground. North Star’s biggest fundraiser of the year!
Circus Smirkus presented by North Star
Extraordinary traveling teen circus, performing at Franklin County Fairground. North Star’s biggest fundraiser of the year!
Circus Smirkus presented by North Star
Extraordinary traveling teen circus, performing at Franklin County Fairground. North Star’s biggest fundraiser of the year!
Circus Smirkus presented by North Star
Extraordinary traveling teen circus, performing at Franklin County Fairground. North Star’s biggest fundraiser of the year!
