For each grade, field trips are one of the most anticipated events of the school year at RMA.  Field trips are carefully planned and organized specifically for the needs of each grade and last about two to three days. This year, the ninth grade class embarked on a new and different adventure. The enthusiastic group of freshmen traveled to Monroe, North Carolina to participate in team-building exercises and toured the campuses of High Point University and North Carolina State University.

The ninth grade class left bright and early from Rocky Mount Academy on Wednesday, October 15^th at 6:30 a.m. The bus headed to Monroe, North Carolina’s Xtreme Challenge. This team building adventure facility is spread across seventeen acres and features many high and low ropes courses and includes many other trust building activities. One of the first activities the class had to complete was the Spider Web Course. This was definitely a challenge, as a class had to plan and execute a way for each of the classmates to fit through a different hole in the spider web without touching the “web.”  After several other team-building activities, a quick lunch was provided before they went on to tackle new obstacle courses in smaller groups. After each of the groups had completed the course, everyone went zip lining together, which proved to be a class favorite. Before dinner, there was one last team-building activity planned that incorporated the entire class. The class was divided into teams and each team was instructed to build a raft that could hold four people. After the plans were developed for construction and rafts were built, the teams had to ride on the rafts, steering it to the opposite side of the pond. The first team to retrieve the flag on the other side of the pond won the activity. Even though most of the rafts broke once they hit the water or as they were in route to retrieve the flag, Team 2 finished with victory. This winning team consisted of Alexis Reams, Corbett Cobb, Madison Glover, Casey Jones, Elijah McCadden, Bailey Beddingfield, Guy Deyton, Joe Cockrell, and Miller Berry. Team member Malone Bondy said, “I went into the water getting soaked after my raft broke, but that activity was one of my favorites, and I think everyone enjoyed it.” After all of the teams were back on land, the class headed to dinner and later roasted s’mores to finish the evening.

The next morning, the class loaded the bus at 8:00 after a quick breakfast to begin the day of college tours. High Point University was first on the schedule. The beautiful campus of HPU made up for the traffic that delayed the trip. Ninth grade student Alexis Reams said, “I really enjoyed High Point because it was really nice and modern. It seemed to have a lot of great resources for their students to use.” After touring the college and learning about High Point University, the class headed to Raleigh where they would tour North Carolina State University. The tour at N.C. State lasted several hours, as well, and the class headed home around 6:45.

Many memories were made during the course of the field trip for the ninth grade class, and it is a trip they will all remember and be able to talk about for years to come. The class cannot wait and see where they will be able to go next year.