In the spring, each grade takes a class trip. These 3-day, 2 night excursions are an excellent opportunity to more fully live Goal Four, the building of community.
Our fifth, sixth and seventh grades travel to Camp Hazen in Chester, CT where they engage in various problem solving and community building activities. Camp Hazen emphasizes the building of self-esteem and self-confidence by stressing the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. Students have the opportunity at developmentally appropriate tasks to tackle the 35-foot high climbing wall, go through the team-building course, build outdoor shelters, canoe, mountain bike, climb the 55-foot tower, and learn about forest ecology. They also work cooperatively to complete an outdoor team-building course, and go through the high and low ropes courses. In addition, students and faculty enjoy family-style meals, work as a team to complete multi-task dilemmas, and learn how to cook in the woods.
Our eighth grade travels to our nation's capitol. While in Washington, they visit the Smithsonian Museum, The International Spy Museum, the Capitol Building, and the White House. In addition, they do a nighttime guided tour of the monuments. In particular, the Washington trip is an excellent opportunity for the students to actively apply their learning and to come to understand our government in a new way.
Throughout these trips, the girls inevitably discover new strengths and their potential for leadership. Each class seems renewed and refreshed upon returning from their trip, with a newfound appreciation for the unique gifts of their classmates. These short trips serve to concretely build the relationships between each student, her classmates, and her teachers.