GeoCamp Iceland

Nemendur og kennarar frá Hanover High School í Bandaríkjunum munu senda rannsóknar háloftabelgi á loft frá Reykjanesinu í tengslum við almyrkvann þann 12. ágúst næstkomandi. Með fjölbreyttum mælitækjum verður rannsakað hvaða áhrif almyrkvinn hefur á lofthjúpinn og umhverfið, meðal annars á hitastig, loftþrýsting og birtustig.

Einnig verður hegðun fugla könnuð á meðan myrkvinn stendur yfir og ferðalagi sérstaks háloftabelgs umbreytt í hljóðverk.

Verkefnið er unnið í samstarfi við GeoCamp Iceland og Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark og gefur nemendum tækifæri til að taka þátt í raunverulegum rannsóknum við sérstæðar aðstæður á Reykjanesi.

https://www.visitreykjanes.is/is/blogg/bandariskir-nemendur-senda-haloftabelgi-a-loft-i-almyrkva

Next week, GeoCamp Iceland welcomes two inspiring student groups from the United States, each coming to Iceland to experience one of nature's rarest events, the total solar eclipse on 12 August.

From California, we are excited to welcome students and faculty from West Valley College. On top of witnessing the eclipse, their program combines astronomy and geology, exploring Iceland's volcanic landscapes, glaciers, geothermal energy, and tectonic plate boundary. It is exactly the kind of interdisciplinary, field-based learning that defines the GeoCamp experience.

At the same time, we will be joined by our friends from the Hanover High School High Altitude Ballooning and Engineering Team (HABET) from New Hampshire. These remarkable students won't just be watching the eclipse—they will be launching scientific payloads aboard high-altitude weather balloons to study how the atmosphere responds as the Moon's shadow passes over Iceland. Their experiments, developed through years of hands-on research, will collect real data from near the edge of space during this once-in-a-generation event.

A total solar eclipse is much more than a spectacular sight. It offers scientists and students a unique opportunity to investigate our atmosphere, the Sun-Earth system, and the natural world in ways that simply aren't possible on an ordinary day. The eclipse on 12 August will be the first total solar eclipse visible from Iceland since 1954, making it a truly historic occasion.

For us, this is what outdoor education is all about. Bringing together astronomy, Earth science, engineering, climate science, and curiosity in the field. We look forward to sharing Iceland's living laboratory with both groups and to seeing the discoveries, questions, and inspiration that emerge over the coming days.

Welcome to Iceland, West Valley College and Hanover High School. We can't wait to explore, learn, and experience this extraordinary week together.

Total Solar Eclipse A total solar eclipse will be visible from parts of the Reykjanes Peninsula on 12 August 2026. Large numbers of visitors are expected across the region, and roads, services, parking areas and campsites may be under pressure.

Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming over fifty students and teachers from The Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University for another educational journey across Iceland. Building on previous visits, it is a privilege to continue this growing partnership through field-based learning and shared experiences.

During their five-day field study programme, students explored Iceland as a living laboratory for Earth and environmental sciences. They investigated plate tectonics, volcanism, geothermal processes, glacier retreat, renewable energy, climate change, and natural hazards while visiting active geological sites, glaciers, geothermal power plants, and the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. Along the way, they also learned about Icelandic history, culture, and environmental stewardship through place-based, hands-on learning.

Thank you for once again choosing GeoCamp Iceland. It was a pleasure to share Iceland’s remarkable landscapes and stories with such an engaged and curious group of students. 🇮🇸🇨🇳

What stays with students after a week in Iceland? It's a question we often ask ourselves after groups head home.

This July, we had the pleasure of welcoming Breck School to GeoCamp Iceland for the first time. During their journey, they explored volcanoes, glaciers, geothermal power, Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, Reykjavík, and everything in between.

Along the way, they learned about climate change, renewable energy, Icelandic history, and how people have adapted to life on this remote North Atlantic island, from the first settlers over a thousand years ago to the communities facing today’s volcanic eruptions and a changing climate.

But what stayed with them wasn’t always what they expect before arriving in Iceland. On the final evening, their teachers asked the students a simple question: “How do you have a better understanding of yourself because of this trip?”

Some wrote about putting their phones away and becoming more present. Others discovered confidence by stepping outside their comfort zones and getting to know classmates they hadn’t talked to before. Several reflected on food waste, supporting local businesses, and seeing sustainability as something they can practice every day—not just talk about.

One student wrote that the most memorable moments weren’t necessarily the famous places, but the unexpected ones—the conversations with locals and the places they stumbled upon along the way.

This really resonates with us.

At GeoCamp, we spend a lot of time planning itineraries, booking accommodations, checking weather forecasts, and making sure everything runs smoothly. But in the end, the moments students remember are often impossible to schedule. They’re the quiet conversations, the shared challenges, time spent grounded in nature, and the stories exchanged around the fire at our family farm.

Those are the moments that help students see the world ... and sometimes themselves ... from a different perspective. For us, that’s the real privilege of this work. Revisiting places we know by heart through the eyes of people experiencing them for the very first time.

Thank you to Becky, Alex, and the students at Breck School for trusting us with your first program in Iceland. Your students were curious, thoughtful, and willing to embrace every experience.

In May, GeoCamp Iceland participated in the first Learning, Teaching and Training Activity (LTT1) of the Erasmus+ ResponsibleProject for How to Reuse, Recycle and Reduce Waste for a Better Future, hosted in Rakkestad, Norway.

Representing GeoCamp Iceland were Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, Project Manager for Education at GeoCamp Iceland, and Drífa Thorstensen, STEAM teacher at Háaleitisskóli in Reykjanesbær. Together with students, teachers, and partners from across Europe, they explored how schools can inspire more sustainable lifestyles through creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning.

One of the week’s highlights was the Plastic Art Project, where students transformed discarded plastic into artworks, demonstrating how waste can become a valuable educational resource while encouraging conversations about responsible consumption and the circular economy.

Beyond the workshops, participants experienced Norwegian culture through visits to Oslo, time with host families, and National Day celebrations, strengthening both professional partnerships and lasting friendships.

The ideas and experiences gained in Norway will now be shared with schools and educators in Reykjanes, supporting future work in sustainability, outdoor learning, STEAM education, and international cooperation.

Thank you to our Norwegian hosts and all Erasmus+ partners for an inspiring week. Together, we are helping prepare young people to become active, responsible citizens ready to build a more sustainable future.

This June, GeoCamp Iceland had the pleasure of welcoming students and faculty from Boston University Academy for their first program with GeoCamp Iceland.

As part of "Powering Possibility: Climate and Sustainability", students explored the connections between climate, energy, geology, and sustainability across some of Iceland’s most dynamic landscapes. They traveled from the volcanic landscapes of Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark to the glaciers, waterfalls, and black sand beaches of South Iceland, examining how natural systems, renewable energy, and communities interact in a rapidly changing world.

The journey combined field-based learning with meaningful discussions about environmental stewardship, resilience, and the future of sustainable societies. Students walked between tectonic plates, explored recent lava flows, visited geothermal areas and power plants, studied glaciers and glacial lagoons, learned about the 1973 eruption in the Westman Islands, and examined how Iceland continues to adapt to both volcanic activity and climate change. Along the way, they met local people, heard community stories, and experienced firsthand how science and society intersect.

For us ... what stood out most was the curiosity and engagement the students brought to every experience. Whether discussing geothermal innovation, natural hazards, glacier retreat, renewable energy, or community resilience, they approached each day with thoughtful questions, open minds, and a genuine desire to learn.

At GeoCamp Iceland, we believe some of the most meaningful learning happens beyond the classroom. By standing next to a retreating glacier, walking across a year old lava field, visiting communities shaped by natural hazards, and seeing renewable energy systems up close, students gain perspectives that simply cannot be replicated in a textbook.

We are grateful to the faculty, Lizzy, Rose, and Dave, as well as everyone at Boston University Academy, for choosing GeoCamp Iceland for this new partnership. And thank you to the students for being such curious, engaged, and responsible travelers throughout the journey.

It was a pleasure to explore Iceland together, and we look forward to seeing where this partnership leads in the years ahead.

Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of welcoming students and teachers from Mercersburg Academy on their first trip to GeoCamp Iceland. Together, we explored glaciers, volcanoes, renewable energy, sustainability, history, culture, and geopolitics, all guided by the curiosity, questions, and interests of the students themselves.

From glaciers and witnessing the impacts of climate change firsthand, discussing resilience and natural hazards, to learning how Iceland harnesses geothermal energy, every day offered new opportunities for discovery and reflection.

What stood out most was not just where we traveled, but how students engaged with the experience. They asked thoughtful questions, connected ideas across disciplines, challenged assumptions, and embraced Iceland as a living classroom.

For us at GeoCamp Iceland, every group brings fresh perspectives. As the Icelandic proverb says "glöggt er gests augað", the eye of the visitor often sees more clearly than the eye of the host. Through our guests, we continue to discover new stories and new ways of understanding our own country.

Thank you, Mercersburg Academy, for choosing GeoCamp Iceland for your inaugural Iceland program. We look forward to seeing how future Mercersburg students make this journey their own.

👉 Read the full story:
www.geocamp.is/news/from-glaciers-to-geopolitics-mercersburg-academys-first-journey-to-geocamp-iceland

All images from Kristen Pixler at Mercersburg Academy

Iceland can be emotional 🇮🇸❤️

Field-based learning is about more than science and discovery. It is about connections. Travel is about more than simply visiting new places. It is about building friendships and creating lasting memories. Between people and places. Between ideas and experiences. It is about stepping outside your comfort zone, sharing challenges, asking questions, and growing together along the way.

For us at GeoCamp Iceland, the landscapes are the classroom, but the relationships built during each journey are often what stay with us the longest.

As the Icelandic proverb says "glöggt er gests augað", the guest often sees things more clearly. So we become part of their learning journey as well. Through every student, teacher, and visitor who travels with us, we are reminded of our own place in this country through fresh eyes and new perspectives.

Every group leaves its mark, and every journey teaches us something new. That is one of the greatest privileges of what we do.

Thank you, Mercersburg Academy, for your curiosity, enthusiasm, and trust. We are proud to welcome you into the GeoCamp family and look forward to crossing paths again someday.