6 minute read
Celebrating 20 Years of “O CLUB”
By Lori Townsend Mahaffey, Lower School Director of Studies
Editor’s note: Long-time Lower School science teacher Lori Townsend Mahaffey is taking on a new role as Lower School director of studies. We asked her to write about the lasting impact of this Country Day tradition as she completes her final trip, which coincides with its 20-year milestone.
When the Oceanography Club was introduced to the Lower School by Tom Fredenberg (then a third-grade teacher) in the early 2000s, no one could have predicted that the culminating four-day trip to the Outer Banks would become such a significant part of the fourth-grade experience. For two decades, the “O Club” trip has become its own rite of passage as countless fourth graders and their families have made the trek across the state to learn, explore, and build community. With more than half the grade attending, this trip signifies the last hurrah before these “seniors” of the Lower School move down the road to Bissell Campus.
To better understand the uniqueness of this trip, I asked two veteran O Club travelers to share their primary takeaways.
Two-time traveler and Trustee, Dr. Lisa Toppin, shares: “This trip comes just in time to help kids expand up to Middle School. It is the precursor to School in the Woods when they spend a few days with each other without their parents. This trip allows them to opt into cliques and go back to their parents. It’s good for them to start that process. It also feels like a wonderful culminating activity that marks the end of Lower School and leap up to Middle.
In fact, the learning that is achieved amid moving 60+ kids and their parents from one stop to the next is remarkable. It’s a great demonstration that learning can be fun. It’s a great example of how there is so much to learn nearby as opposed to just thinking about faraway places. Seeing the wild horses on Shackleford Banks is just one example of a wonderful discovery and memorable experience. The O Club trip does a great job of marrying learning, discovery, and fun in one adventure.”
Five-time traveler, Dr. Hodges Davis, shares: “The first time I went on the O Club trip was the second year of its existence at Country Day. I love the Outer Banks. I also love hanging out with my kids and their friends. All the kids may know each other but maybe they had never done anything together. Having a list of activities, that as a parent we did not have to plan and could just show up at, provided the framework for building community. The secret to the longevity of this trip is exactly that—it provides a framework for community as these kids are moving on to a new chapter in their Country Day life. My favorite memory from these trips is always meeting someone new. The parental connections that I made on those trips continue to today.”
Behind the scenes, the teachers who work tirelessly to make this trip a reality, have the same feelings about the importance of this trip being held at just this moment in a student’s Country Day life. They are ready to be more independent and to be given more room to explore, but it’s clear that they also appreciate the safe landing of their family members and teachers being there to help them navigate the strangeness of everyone being hungry, tired, and hot all at the same time.
Lower School science teacher Taryn Page, who just completed her fifteenth trip, shares: “I truly enjoy sharing my love of the ocean with my students and inspiring them to learn more as well. From sea turtles to coral reef restoration to beach erosion, the topics are endless. Our monthly after-school meetings provide a setting to learn about these topics, but the end-of-the-year trip really brings it all together. Aside from the educational programming we do during the trip, it’s the sense of community that is overwhelming. Time and time again I hear from families about what a great opportunity it is to get to know others in their child’s grade level, as well as the unique opportunity to spend quality one-on-one time with their child before they move on to Middle School. I was even told once that it was ‘the trip of a lifetime!’…and I agree!”
So much of what Taryn says resonates with each of the teachers fortunate enough to have been involved with this club, and specifically this trip, over the years—all of whom have been under the direction of Tom Fredenberg. He is our Pied Piper, our chaos coordinator, our captain, and our fearless leader. No one has given more time, love, and care to this opportunity for our students and families than Tom. This year, we poked a little fun at “Captain Tom” in celebration of our 20th trip (including tattoos with his face on them, face masks for our group photo, and a Hawaiian-themed shirt featuring photos of Tom.) He took it all in stride. He knows that he is a beloved member of this community, and we hope he knows how incredibly grateful we all are for this gift he’s given to us in our precious O Club. Personally, I’m appreciative of this trip for many of the reasons stated above, but I’m most appreciative of the gift of a few of my very best friends. Work rarely seems hard when you have your favorite people by your side. I’m glad that my final O Club trip was one for the books! And now for some final thoughts from the legend himself.
Tom Fredenberg, who taught fifth-grade math for many years and has now returned to the Lower School as a science teacher, shares: “It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years, because it’s all gone by so quickly. We have a dream team with me, Lori, Taryn, and now, Elise (Ernette). We are the constant when all the other factors change. I never have to wonder how things are going on the other buses, because we finish each other’s sentences and share a philosophy on how to successfully navigate this unique experience. Seeing Middle Schoolers wearing their O Club shirts to school with pride reminds us that we all have that connection, that shared experience, to remember fondly. This club is special. It’s special because it’s learning at its best. It’s special because it’s fun. And most importantly, it’s special because of the more than 2,000 people who have committed to going on this adventure with us for the past 20 years.”
