Sixth graders embarked on the annual outdoor class adventure trip to Frost Valley last week. The students, accompanied by trip leader Mrs. Andrea Barnett and fellow chaperones Mrs. Erika Del Rocco and Ms. Dina Congregane, spent three action-packed days in Claryville, NY.
The students experienced many adventures and took advantage of opportunities for growth while connecting with nature. Wonderful weather on the last three days of summer enabled the students and chaperones to enjoy all the beauty of the landscape.
Trip highlights included hiking to a cable bridge, investigating the pond ecosystem, learning about apples, picking them from an orchard and taking turns putting apples into a traditional cider press during a hands-on lesson in cider making.
While moving across the cable bridge, Kimaaya Golchha ’30 said, “When the cable bridge was bouncy, I knew it was challenging.”
The group also hiked through the woods finding all kinds of great things. The river they crossed provided smooth rocks good for painting.
“I loved the waterfall under the cable bridges,” Shaina Patel ’30 said.
“When we returned from the hike, we marched over to the pond and began to observe and consider what lives there,” Mrs. Barnett said. “In time we brought out seining nets and found salamanders and all sorts of pond insects. We determined that the pond is a healthy one!”
The last activity was a new one for the group. With the use of four pulleys, students helped lift each other into the air on The Glider! Once they hoisted the student up, they pulled a cord to release themselves into a thrilling drop and swing! It was an exciting way to end the trip.
The students also learned about maps and orienteering, met a giant snake, and enjoyed a beautiful view of the starry sky during a walk at night. As part of the annual tradition, the group sang around a campfire and enjoyed s’mores on the last night of the trip.