Snowballs fell from the sky, Andy Thomas, junior slid by on his back and a dozen others struggled with the dual threats of sunburn and frostbite.
The junior Summer Seminar group shared this and many other interesting experiences while getting to know each other on a much deeper level on their trip this summer. Eighteen juniors and five teachers journeyed to the West for their voyage, starting out in Colorado and making their way through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington.
“I liked the trip because it was a chance to get to know the students and teachers on a deeper level. There were a lot of experiences that we couldn’t have had at home that really bonded us! Also, having the mountains of Montana as a classroom was a fun way to learn,” said Olivia Harre, junior.
Although they covered lots of ground, which meant spending extended periods of time in mini vans, the bonding time during the long car rides added to the excitement of the trip.
“We liked to make ‘Call Me Maybe’ videos during the five hour car rides between campsites,” said Claire Kopsky, junior.
One of the places that the group visited was where the Battle of Little Bighorn took place.
“The biggest thing I took away from the trip was learning about all the ways leadership could go wrong. We all witnessed this by learning about Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn,” said Jonny Kinney, junior.
The point of the trip from a teacher’s perspective was to teach the students about the importance of leadership and their new roles in the school as rising juniors. These students went through an application process like most of the other Summer Seminar trips.
“Our goal as teachers was to help the students to understand the effects that their decisions, ethics, and morals have on their ability to lead,” said Scott Vonder Bruegge, upper school journalism and history teacher who went on the trip as a chaperone.
Jim Butz, upper school drama and Bible teacher, Scott Holley, academic dean, and Chris Knerr, upper school history teacher, periodically led “core discussions” that centered around the topic of leadership.
“One thing that I was challenged with was thinking about how people will see me in 20 years from now. Will I regret my past or think I was successful?” said Emma Bailey, junior.
The students on the trip not only learned a lot about leadership, but also bonded through the trip’s unique activities and the interesting experiences they shared.
“We all have so many inside jokes now after spending that much time together. The whole group bonded so well. We also didn’t shower for seven whole days. And we saw a baby moose,” said Bailey.
But not everything on the trip was just a smooth walk in the wilderness, thanks to injuries, tough hikes, and dogs being mistaken for bears.
“On the first day of actual hiking, I fell and cut my leg, and it was a really deep cut. I was having trouble with the weight of my backpack, and everyone volunteered to take weight out! I felt so loved,” said Harre.
“The first day when we started the hike, we all thought it would be only six miles and they told us it was super flat. That was definitely wrong. It was extremely uphill and for 8-10 miles. It was ridiculous. And we had to go over a ton of logs on the hike, and every single time we did, the person behind me had to push my bag forward because otherwise I fell backwards. It was hysterical and we all helped each other out,” said Bailey.
After the trip, the group had a couple reunions that included a breakfast together, swimming, and a movie night.
“The day we got back from the trip, we were so sad that we weren’t with each other 24/7 so we all got back together and met at First Watch. We have also gone to Castlewood and Steak n Shake,” said Bailey.
Despite her wounds, Harre hopes to go on a Summer Seminar trip when she is a senior.
“I’m definitely looking forward to go on another trip next year,” said Harre.