by Charlotte Vander Ploeg
I took a deep breath to still my quickly beating heart. I and Zoe had bolted up the large formations of rock the jeepers and thrill seekers seemed to enjoy. We were on our own adventure. We hid carefully, for we were playing a game of hide and seek with the whole of our class. After regaining my breath I looked to see if the seeker had started.
In return, my breath was swept away. There was a 360-degree view of land so different from Ouray that it seemed alien. The sun was gone but it had left a painting of red, orange, and yellow on the skyline. Some of the lands were flat, while other parts looked like sculptures left by enormous, interrupted artists. Behind me rumbled a storm that blew wind against my back.
Satisfied with our distance from camp, and awed by the scene, I suggested to Zoe that we should simply sit here. I felt slightly bad because the seeker would probably never find us, but the view was too expansive to simply leave.
This was my favorite memory of the 7th-grade class trip.
Recently the 7th-grade class took a trip to Moab. After fundraising and asking the Sneffels Foundation for a grant we racked together enough money for our trip.
The adventure started on a Monday morning when we set off on our small minibus. All my peers were itching with excitement, as well as me. After planning for long periods of time we were finally doing it.
We went on several adventures such as rafting, canyoneering, biking, and hiking. Many students’ favorite activity was the canyoneering. 7th grader Zoe Schiffer said, “Canyoneering is a new experience with your classmates and is overall fun.”
I totally agree with her.
Even if a student in our class had already done an activity that we did in Moab, the experience was extremely fun. An activity is completely different when you do it with kids your age.
On the other hand, some kids tried things they had never done before. I was part of both these groups. I had never rafted before, but I had biked before. Many other kids experienced similar feelings.
Not only did we get to try new things, but we also had to learn new things as well. Mrs. Coyer, the 7th-grade teacher, set a task for me and my classmates. She put all of us in groups and announced that we had to plan meals for dinner and breakfast, then cook them in Moab. We had to consider the cost of the food and the conditions of the campsite. This was a great way to practice skills we might need in the future.
After each team finished cooking dinner, we were always full. The sun fell below the horizon and not long after and the glow sticks came out. We played tag every single night, running up and down the large rocks covering the land of Moab. Every night was full of laughter and excitement. Even our teacher joined in on the last night!
The Moab trip was certainly something every class should experience. Unfortunately, the current 8th-grade class missed their Moab trip due to Covid. This happened to many class trips during the pandemic. When we first started, our Moab trip plans were a bit tentative, for you never know what might happen. That’s why when all the puzzle pieces came together our class was relieved and full of joy.
I hope Moab trips continue. It was an experience I will never forget. I and my class will carry it with us into the future, as I know past classes that took this trip did as well. I can’t help but hope that the next 7th-grade class gets to experience it, and I will admit I’m already excited for our 8th-grade Catalina trip.