Kemon, a student that went on the trip was the first person that I got to interview and I asked the following questions:
What did you learn on the Raquette Lake trip?
“I learned how to canoe, and it was a fun feeling to try something I had never done before.”
I then asked Kemon what he enjoyed most about the trip and he said, “Making a tent with Antonio in our dorm, and going on the 3 mile hike on the last day of the trip.”
Kemon says that he would recommend this trip to people who are the outdoorsy type, and enjoy nature but there were sometimes when it wasn’t much fun.
I then interviewed Mr. Williams, an English teacher at the high school, who chaperoned the ecology trip this fall.
“I like to chaperone the Raquette Lake trip because it’s great to see my students getting out of their comfort zones, embracing new challenges and new experiences, working collaboratively, and growing as a result,” Mr. Williams said. “I also believe that students can learn so much beyond the four walls of a traditional classroom.”
“I also like to go, a bit selfishly, because I really do enjoy getting outside and enjoying the great outdoors myself,” Mr. Williams said. “ I always feel so much better after spending some time in the woods, on the water, or out in nature in some way. It feels like natural therapy that everyone can benefit from.”
What are some of his most memorable moments?
“The most memorable moments are always seeing students overcome challenges to realize that they are indeed capable of completing a new task or succeeding in an unfamiliar activity (like paddling a canoe or kayak, or cross country skiing).”
I would definitely recommend other teachers take advantage of the opportunity if they are interested. We are so fortunate to have this experience – for teachers, and students as well. I feel lucky that the district supports this twice-annual trip and really am grateful to all the parties whose hard work makes it happen.
The things I liked about this trip is that we hiked about 2 miles, maybe 3, to a beautiful waterfall in the woods and it was definitely worth the adventure. I also took the time and asked similar questions to Ms. Sullivan.
Like Mr. Williams, Ms. Sullivan was a chaperone on the trip to Raquette Lake this fall. She said she has been chaperoning the Raquette Lake Trip since 2012, and almost always chaperones both the fall and winter trips.
“The Raquette Lake trips are some of my favorite days of the school year,” Ms. Sullivan said. “It is nice to see students outside of the typical classroom settings. These trips also allow me to get to know other students who might not normally come into the Art Room, or take any of my classes.”
Over the years, what were the most memorable moments?
“Each trip is always a little different!” Ms. Sullivan said. “Obviously the games and some of the warmer weather days are always great, but the most memorable moments are always watching the students on the trip bond and form new friendships”.
Ms Sullivan recommends other teachers volunteer to chaperone the trip because “new faces at Raquette Lake are always nice to see!”
After seeing this article, does it make you consider going on this trip sometime in the future?
And if you would like to go on this trip, you should go talk to Mr. McNair who has been chaperoning the trip way longer than I have been alive.
