One of my favorite RMA memories is going to Williamsburg for my first overnight field trip in fifth grade. As a young student, I was always so excited for our field trips because I got the chance to be more independent (and of course spend time with my friends). Even now as a senior, I am looking forward to going on our NYC trip and spending time with my classmates- the people I have grown up with–for one of the last times.
While field trips are obviously fun opportunities for students, they also provide numerous academic, social, and personal benefits–whether they’re for a few hours or overnight–to students in all grades, so RMA plans exciting outings for all its students.
In Lower School, field trips tend to emphasize nature. According to Head of Lower School Martha Lancaster, our youngest Eagles (Pre-K and Kindergarten) visit locations like Dean’s Farm and Volmer Farms to get “a hands-on experience that is memorable” as “they smell, touch, and taste many experiences that books and computers can only show.” They jump in corn kernel piles and get to visit a pumpkin patch and choose the perfect pumpkin to take home. They also get to go on hay rides and just have fun! As students grow, they use field trips to learn more about animals, with second- and fourth-graders visiting Sylvan Heights and third-graders exploring Richmond Zoo. Wherever they go, our Lower Schoolers “learn to listen to and learn to take advantage of asking questions when they are given the time to do so,” which is great training for upper-level classes.
In fifth grade (the final year of Lower School) and Middle School, the goal for field trips tends to be real-world application. Unlike traditional classroom learning, which often relies on theoretical concepts, field trips allow students to engage with subjects practically and tangibly–especially in science and history. For example, our trip to Washington, DC, in seventh grade can transform all the abstract things we learn about government and our country’s capital into concrete experiences, promoting a deeper understanding of complex concepts. In the same way, going to Wilmington in 6th grade allows us to make real-world connections after learning about science and the ocean in our classrooms, and visiting Virginia (Williamsburg/Jamestown area) in eighth grade lets us make connections with colonial American history. The other thing that these overnight Middle School trips teach us is how to be independent and handle ourselves without adults constantly looking over us. Going away from parents for the first time can be hard but is imperative for development. As Middle School prepares kids for Upper School, it is necessary to create independent and self-reliant students.
Field trips switch gears again in Upper School, replacing the focus on academics themselves with an emphasis on being prepared to learn. In 9th grade, we start with a visit to High Point in the fall, where freshmen tackle a ropes course and bond as a class; they will need each other’s support in Upper School! Then, the tenth- and eleventh-grade classes take a group trip to Florida on what we call the Southern College Tour. On this trip they visit a wide variety of colleges–this year’s list includes Wake Forest, the University of South Carolina, and the University of F
lorida–to get a feel for what kind of campus they might want to call home one day. After a couple of days thinking about their futures at college, sophomores and juniors get to explore Universal Studios for a day before heading back home. Finally, in twelfth grade, the senior class spends five days together in New York City, exploring places like Times Square, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and famous restaurants like Carmine’s. We even get to see a Broadway play and watch a Knicks’ game! Most of all, seniors–who are given a good bit of free time–practice responsibility and independence before leaving the safety net RMA provides as they head off for college.
Field trips are a great way for students to learn and grow outside of the classroom, and we are so lucky to have these opportunities at Rocky Mount Academy!
