On Thursday, October, fourth grade boarded the bus and headed to Refreshing Mountain in Stevens, PA. This was the first overnight trip for this class and the anticipation and excitement were palpable! 

Surrounded by a beautiful landscape, students were able to push themselves to try new activities outside of their comfort level. Their first day consisted of tackling the 37' climbing wall, team-building through physical and mental challenges, participating in relay races, and bonding during the evening campfire.

The next day had students learning about birds of prey, reptiles, and amphibians native to Pennsylvania; along with learning archery. They got a chance to hold a snake, aim for a bullseye, work to get to the other side of a “circuit board,” work together to complete a list of physical challenges, and listen to the sounds of the great horned owl.

Students were surrounded by the encouragement of not only their teachers and staff from Refreshing Mountain, but also their peers. The trip provided them a chance to connect with students they hadn’t had the opportunity to interact with much yet and they participated in activities they had never done before. More importantly, they were able to strengthen their bond as a class.