Field trips are what students look forward to every year here at RMA. Starting in 5^th grade, every grade goes on a field trip usually lasting 2-3 days, culminating in the long-awaited senior trip to New York City. Each year, the 6^th grade class kicks off the school year with a 2 night/3 day trip to Camp Don Lee. The purpose of this trip is not only to educate kids on different sciences, but to also have team-building experiences with their classmates. This trip is designed to bring the students closer together as they enter their middle school; a new experience for all of them.

On September 17, the 6^th grade class left early in the morning to travel to Arapahoe, North Carolina, home of Camp Don Lee. To many people, Camp Don Lee is known for their very popular summer camp, attracting kids from not only North Carolina, but other states as well. But for RMA, it is remembered as one of the first of many field trips students will go on. Chaperones Dr. Koszelak, Mrs. Viverette, and Mrs. Smith herded the tired, yet excited kids onto the bus. Once they arrived, the chaperons split the class up into separate rooms. The students stayed in cabins with two bunk beds in each room. Over the next three days, the kids participated in many activities, including Herpetology, sailing on the Neuse River, fishing, fossil studies, Native American studies, canoeing, and creek exploration. When asked what his favorite activity was, Isiah Smith answered, “I liked sailing because it was really fun to be on a sailboat with my friends.” While overall the trip was fun, students have complained about the meals being subpar.

When it was all said and done, the trip was success. The students were able to learn about fossils and the coastal environment while bonding with longtime friends and new students. With the help of this trip, they were able to create relationships that will not only help them through middle school, but through high school as well. The field trip to Camp Don Lee was a great experience for everyone who went, and a great start to a new chapter in all 6^th graders’ lives.