In the final weeks of the academic year, the School has found ways to build community and ensure students stay active. For each grade level, the administration organized grade-wide Outdoor Education days, where students have traveled off campus to do activities such as hiking and ropes courses.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has altered many school plans and trips over the past year, there have been limited opportunities to host off-campus experiences. Due to COVID-19, the Upper School did not attend.the annual two-day trip to Camp Wingate*Kirkland in Yarmouth Port that kicks off the school year.

However, with many students now receiving COVID-19 vaccines, the School has found ways to hold field trips. For the first field trip since the outbreak, on May 4, Biology classes traveled to the Arnold Arboretum.

Recently, Upper School students also took trips to Treetop Adventures, a high ropes course in Canton, Massachusetts. The course was designed to help them bond over team-building exercises and challenging obstacles. The first group to take the journey to the course was the 10th Grade, which went on May 12.

TreeTop Adventures, which has ten courses of varying difficulty, was very popular among students, including Madeline Hsaio, ‘23.

“It was an invigorating experience to take the morning off school to be outdoors and get physical exercise in contrast to the mental exercise that is especially prevalent as the school year draws closer to final assessments,” Hsaio said.

Xavier Claiborne ’24 greatly enjoyed his experience at the course when his grade went on May 20.

“I loved the ability to be able to go out and get some exercise, while also hanging out with my friends,” said Claiborne.

The 12th grade also traveled to TreeTop Adventures on May 19. Juniors traveled to Project Adventure, a high ropes course in Beverly, Massachusetts, on May 14.

Overall, the School feels that it is a success to be able to have these team-building experiences again. In the future, it hopes to be able to expand trips to greater adventures that will bring the community even closer together.

“This grade-wide trip to Treetop Adventures provided a glimmer of normality and enjoyment in a school year drastically affected by the pandemic,” Hsaio said. “I am truly appreciative of Brimmer’s work to reintroduce Outdoor Ed trips into the curriculum.”