At the end of the sixth-grade school year at MICDS, students experience a special night of passage—the Hawn State Park Camping Trip! The adventure took place this year on Thursday and Friday, May 14 and 15, and ended with students wanting s’more time together in nature at the campgrounds. About an hour and a half away, the tent-camping trip was the perfect venue for connecting as a community and learning while immersed in the great outdoors.
What makes this trip truly special is that it is fully planned by the sixth graders. For the weeks leading up to the overnight, students volunteer to help plan the trip. This year, 45 students, about half of the sixth-grade class, participated in one of three committees: the Activities, Communications, or Food.
Students on the Activities Committee coordinated all of the activities that took place at camp. Activities included a hike along and swimming in Pickle Creek, hiking on the Whispering Pines Trail, crawdad hunting, fishing, tye-dying, dodgeball, football, cornhole/bags, can jam, and, of course, roasting marshmallows on the campfire.
The Communications Committee members informed parents of the dates and times for the trip, emailed the packing list, and were in touch with school administration to ensure all permission slips, medications, buses, and subs were in order. They made posters of the camp rules and hung them up at the campsite, and took photos on the trip (included in the galleries below!). Also, they helped teachers know which friends got along well so they could organize congenial groups for the tents, hiking, and activities.
Lastly, the Food Committee planned all of the meals. For lunch on the day of arrival, they served grilled cheese, chips, watermelon, and strawberries. Thursday’s dinner was pasta with alfredo or tomato sauce, grilled chicken, watermelon, and strawberries. For breakfast on Friday morning, students enjoyed French toast, bacon/turkey bacon, and cereal (Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch).
Those two days and one night at camp are filled with memory-making for students. Eloise Morris ’32 said, “I liked the s’mores and bonfire, hanging out with friends, and playing games at night. We would play hide and seek with the flashlights!” S’mores were also a favorite of Abraham Lizama ’32 and Aamani Mallady ’32. Other students really loved the hikes with friends. Braxton Lurk ’32 enjoyed “walking Pickle Creek Trail or playing in the creek by our campsite.” Adiya Zei ’32 said, “My favorite moment was the Whispering Pines Trail that we hiked up.” “[I loved] waking up really early and playing games in the tent,” added Eliza Krieger ’32.
It was a new experience for many of our students. “I was surprised by how well organized it was,” said Lizama. “Everything was well thought out, and everything felt fun and exciting.” Lurk wasn’t expecting to see so many other campers at the campgrounds. Krieger and Morris noted that the campground was large, but the campsite itself was quite small. Others noted that there were a LOT of bugs—a true camping experience!
Some of the Communications Committee representatives reflected on what they would tell future sixth graders about the Hawn State Park Camping Trip. “Put bug spray on and come open-minded!” advised Morris. “Come with a lot of energy; there’s a lot of stuff to do!” encouraged Mallady. “I think I was kind of nervous going into camp because I didn’t really know what to expect, but if you just embrace it, it goes really well! Plus, being together with friends is a lot of fun,” said Lizama. “It is really fun! Bring a sleeping bag and a blanket, no matter what, even if it’s hot. It gets colder at night,” encouraged Lurk.
Sixth-Grade Dean and History Teacher Mark Duvall said, “I am really proud of how the sixth-grade class embraced the challenge of camping. They supported one another throughout the experience, and they truly enjoyed just being together and hanging out as a whole class. We saw so many smiling faces throughout the day.”
What a wonderful overnight camping trip this was for our sixth graders! Students, thank you for planning such a fantastic trip—one that many Rams enjoyed as their very first time camping! Thank you to the sixth-grade advisory team and all those who chaperoned the campers on this adventure. Here’s to enjoying another s’more with friends under a starlit sky again soon. For now, lights out!