On Thursday, September 22, students in Grade 7 departed for an overnight trip to Camp Jewell in Colebrook, Connecticut. The trip, which served as an opportunity for students to bond, was especially meaningful this year as students had been unable to travel previously due to COVID-19. 

“We thought this would be a good opportunity to get them off campus and engaging in some team building activities,” wrote Grade 7 Team Leader Anna Lubowitz.

Over the course of two days, students and Grade 7 advisors enjoyed archery, outdoor recreation games, candle making, survival education, wall climbing, a low ropes course, a giant swing, and more. Each activity helped classmates build new relationships with each other while learning more about themselves.

“I was nervous it wasn’t going to be that fun,” said Caroline Castonguay ‘28. She added that while she enjoyed the scheduled activities, some of her fondest memories came at the end of the day connecting with her peers in their cabin.

The trip also required students to step outside of their comfort zones. For some, that meant trusting their peer support team, which was holding them 15-30 feet from the ground on the low ropes course. For others, the trip was their first time away from their family overnight.

“Being alone with people I don’t know was scary at first,” recalled Kaitlyn Lee ‘28, a student new to King School. “I had a lot of fun, though,” she continued, “I met my friend Taylor. We bunked together, and that was definitely really fun.”

Despite the rainy weather and being away from their cell phones for 48 hours, students returned on Friday, September 23, happy with a better understanding of their King School community. Thinking about what he would tell a sixth grader looking forward to the experience next year, Vicky Kishnan ‘28 said. “Try to have as much fun as possible. You’re probably only going to be there once take advantage of that.”