Horseback riding, archery, hiking, orienteering, a scavenger hunt. These are just some of the activities our Grade 5 and 6 students experienced during this year’s outdoor education excursion that took place at Teen Ranch in Caledon, Ontario. Over three days and two nights, our girls were challenged, learned new skills, took part in team-building initiatives and of course enjoyed s’mores around a campfire. Each night ended with a talent show.

The experience of Teen Ranch called on the girls to use their leadership skills and to work through a variety of initiatives and group problem solving activities. Each student challenged themselves to participate and learned to listen to one another, develop a plan and put that plan into action.

Special thanks to our grade 11 and 12 leaders for their enthusiasm and support throughout the trip. It was filled with fun and unforgettable memories!

Earlier this month, the Grade 7 and 8 students boarded a bus to head off for an amazing five-day trip into American history. Our first stop was Gettysburg, PA. We dined that night at General Pickett’s Buffet and ended the night with a swim in the hotel pool.

The next day found us on the tour of the famous battlefield at Gettysburg. The area of the battle is so large, we toured by double decker bus and learned about the great toll the battle took on the people of both sides.

Then it was off to Washington, D.C. and a walking tour of the city that took us to the White House and through Lafayette Park. We also explored the two Smithsonian Museums: the Museum of Natural History and the American History Museum. Among the many highlights were the exhibits on evolution, the gems and mineral displays, Dorothy’s ruby slippers, an interactive display of a house in colonial times, and the portrait of George Washington from the Seven Years’ War, which we recognized from our history textbook.. The night ended with a dinner/dance boat cruise on the Potomac River.

The next day we visited the Air and Space Museum where the girls saw the Wright Brothers’ plane and got to use an interactive simulator to adjust the flaps and rudder and “fly” the plane. For lunch, we headed over to Georgetown where the girls explored, shopped and ate on their own in small groups. Later that afternoon, we toured Arlington National Cemetery where we saw the grave sites of the Kennedy family and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After dinner, we toured the famous monuments of Washington, D.C. The girls saw the Albert Einstein Monument, where they sat on his lap to absorb his knowledge, the Lincoln Monument and reflecting pool, the Vietnam, Korean and WWII Memorials. What an adventure.