As a JK-12 school, the memories at Fort Worth Country Day are endless. Most of these memories are made during times when students bond and learn from each other. Field trips are one of those points in time where lifetime memories are made.
Every grade at FWCD has one field trip. After asking the Upper School student population about their favorite trips, it was clear that there were two trips that stood out to them: the eighth-grade trip to Big Bend and the sophomore trip to Washington, D.C.
The whole eighth-grade class goes to southwest Texas and visits Big Bend National Park each April. It is a week-long trip involving many activities for students. From hiking to fishing to learning to just having fun, Big Bend helped students have fun and enjoy nature.
“It was a good way to bond and learn away from phones,” Vivian Modeer ’28 said.
Students come to school at 6:00 in the morning to pack up, take attendance, and roll down south. The first destination in the sand dunes of the Monohans. Students eat their lunch and are given time to wander around and explore.
“We ran down [sand] hills; it was fun,” Morgan Jones ’28 said.
The Lajitas Golf Resort is where everyone on the trips stays. It has a pool and a large courtyard. Every afternoon, the students are given recreation time to hang out at either location, and every morning and evening, the group is provided with breakfast and dinner.
“It was a very nice resort. [My] room was [a lot of fun],” Julia Pham ’28 said.
There are four hikes taken in Big Bend: the Closed Canyon, Lajitas Overlook, Lost Mine, and Dog Cholla hikes. Each is a great representation of the different areas Big Bend has to offer. From the hot deserts in the Lajitas Overlook to the rocky high terrain of the Lost Mine, each one varies in difficulty.
“[I liked the Lost Mine hike] because there was a nice view at the top and it wasn’t hot,” Olivia Anderson ’28 said.
Big Bend is a very memorable trip for many reasons. After asking what people’s favorite part of the trip was, there was a unified answer: being with friends. All of the activities were fun because the students got to enjoy them with their friends.
The D.C. trip is the last all-class trip taken at FWCD, running during the first week of May in the students’ sophomore year. One of the
The sophomore class is flown from Dallas Love Field Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at 10:05 am.
“I’m used to flying… since it was so many of us it took awhile to get through security and to make sure all of our bags were checked.” said John Flanagan ’25.
There are a number of historical places visited on this trip. From memorials, museums, and even Capitol Hill.
“My favorite memorial was the Korean War Memorial because I think it did a great job at remembering the dead.” Said Bella Rugema ‘27.
The DC trip is also loved for the same reason as the Big Bend Trip. Students had fun hanging out with their friends and made many memories.
