On Saturday, March 8, the Archie Williams Team Academy hosted a car wash to raise money for future backpacking trips. The fundraiser took place at the Devonshire parking lot and started at 10 a.m. Along with the car wash, the fundraiser included a bake sale with treats like donuts and cookies, along with fun music.  

One of three Archie Williams academies, Team is a two-year program for juniors and seniors. The academy offers an alternative way to learn, including classes in wilderness medicine, backpacking, hiking, internships, rock climbing, and other ways of interactive learning. Team Wilderness Medicine, Workplace Learning, and Leadership teacher Diana Goldberg finds that Team makes a significant impact on students.

“We get to learn both inside the classroom and outside, and really learn transferable skills that help students for the rest of their lives,” Goldberg said. 

Through Team, students gain outdoor experiences, exploring places like Joshua Tree National Park, the Eastern Sierras, and the Lost Coast. Team Leadership and art teacher Jasper Thelin emphasizes the cost of Team’s one-of-a-kind trips. 

“The transportation and the staffing for the trail guides that we hire to go on our trips with us [produce] a lot of additional expenses. Car washes and the other types of fundraisers are a big part of allowing us to continue [taking trips],” Thelin said.  

Offering washes for 15 to 20 dollars depending on car size, the car wash attracted many passers-by. Team students rotated between stations such as cleaning and cashiering, ensuring everyone was an active participant in the fundraiser. Senior Team student Serafina Kirk Di Giorgio highlighted the importance of fundraising for Team. 

“We have some sponsors and long-standing families that do contribute, but a big part [of getting] what we need [for trips] is money from fundraising,” Serafina said.  

In addition to funding from the Falcon Foundation, fundraisers are crucial for the Team program, and ensuring that all trip expenses are covered for participating students.

“[Fundraising] is super vital for the program and keeping it alive [for] trips. That way we can have our things, like gear and food expenses for traveling to where we’re going on our trips, covered,” said junior Team student Tao Ramos. 

The car wash concluded at two p.m., lasting four hours. The academy hopes to raise enough money for its upcoming trip to Joshua Tree National Park in late March.