On the morning of September 18th, 9th graders entered HS223 on their way to their overnight trip.

“We’re so excited to have you all here as we kick off an incredible journey together!” said assistant principal Ms. Lopez.

The freshman overnight freshman overnight trip to Frost Valley, a YMCA outdoor camp in Claryville, New York, represented not only the first trip for these 9th grade students of their high school careers, but also represented the first time that HS223 freshman had been allowed on an overnight trip this early in the school year.

“It was fun. It was really good for socializing with your friends,” Victoria Eisden (Class of 2029).

While this trip was certainly for fun, Ms. Lopez sees a lot of other reasons for heading to Frost Valley.

“Students will discover new friends, challenge themselves, and create memories that will last a lifetime. We asked them to get ready for fun activities, team-building adventures, and lots of learning along the way,” said Ms. Lopez.

Normally, class trips, especially for freshman, occur later in the year. But Ms. Lopez, working with principal Mr. Lincoln, thought it important to get the year off on the right foot.

“Students form relationships with each other and they can learn a little about team work. We wanted the new students to have a good time and make new friendships,” said Ms. Lopez. 

The activities the freshmen participated in during the trip included rope courses, hiking, a campfire, and team-building exercises.

“I liked how there was teamwork and we were outdoors,” said Alejandro Martinez (Class of 2029). “I enjoyed being with my friends and doing things besides being on my phone.”

The activities  required a high level of communication and coordination among participants to successfully complete.

“I didn’t like the food, but the activities were fun. They involved a lot of teamwork” said Arianny Liberato (Class of 2029).

Students stayed in cabins during the overnight with other students. Prior to leaving, new transfer students were asked to fill out forms to make sure that they were with people who they might feel comfortable with since they were new to the school community.

“I liked my room arrangement. I was with my friends,” said Armanie Garcia (Class of 2029) to which Arianny added, “But there was just cold water in my room.”

Despite the cold water, Ms. Lopez sees a lot of positives with continuing the Frost Valley trip.

“One of the activities is making letters to themselves so they can read them after senior year, so they can reflect on what they have accomplished. We are excited to see how far they’ve come,” said Ms. Lopez.