School in the Woods: Fifth Graders Share Advice from Their Experience

FROM DISCOVERING North Carolina’s Outer Banks to hiking the Great Wall of China, getting out there is a cherished Country Day tradition. In Middle School, the fifth and sixth grade takes part in School in the Woods—a mix of learning, risk-taking, class bonding and well, Middle School silliness. After the experience, students spend time reflecting on their time. Here are a few excerpts from this year’s fifth graders.

What advice would you give next year’s 5th graders about School in the Woods?

•Be open-minded to all the activities. Also, if you go fishing, go far down by the end dock—a lot of fish were under the rocks there.

•To listen, have fun, be a leader, make good choices, and be the best you.

•I would say that you should participate in everything! Also, definitely try the Alpine Tower!

What did you learn from School in the Woods? (This can be educational or not.)

•I learned that I am not that afraid of heights anymore.

What other feedback would you like for your teachers to know about your experience?

•It was fun and I learned more than I thought I would.

•I liked meeting new people in my grade and doing the zipline.

•It was amazing. You should extend nature art and canoeing (those were my favorite classes).

•Thank you for taking us on this field trip.

•It was so fun and amazing to be there.

•Overall, I just think it was fun and awesome!

•I had lots of fun doing everything there, and I’m grateful that we got to go. •

I absolutely loved it. Could we go on more field trips this year?

•Some feedback I would give is I had so much fun and NO negative feedback.