About VVS

The Value of Physical Labor

Valuing physical labor has been an integral part of VVS from its inception. The school's founders understood that involving students in building and maintaining their school not only empowers them, but also gives them a greater appreciation for the campus they helped to build and care for.

Many of the school's buildings have been built with the help of students throughout the years.  Most of the daily chores are completed by students as well, under the supervision of faculty members. Project Period and field trips also have a labor component.  And many alumni return to the school to work alongside students and faculty to improve buildings, make walkways, and more.

Pictured above, students worked on a Navajo ranch on the Southwest Field Trip in 2007. They built a fence, installed a wood stove in a hogan, planted an orchard, and chopped firewood for the ranch's owner. Her family had lived in the canyon for generations.