This year BCS sixth and seventh graders headed up to Raquette Lake for three days and two nights. The trip was held at the end of January during a remarkable cold spell with subzero temperatures during the entire visit. Our 16 students visited SUNY Cortland’s Outdoor Education Center at Camp Pine Knot, also known as Huntington Memorial Camp.
Run by SUNY Cortland and the William H. Parks Family Center for Environmental and Outdoor Education, Camp Huntington sits on Raquette Lake’s Long Point and is comprised of 40 buildings representing both modern conveniences and the historical legacy of the Adirondacks. The Camp is open to outside groups who want to experience the rustic, Adirondack amenities and nurture teamwork within their groups.
The group learned the history of the first Adirondack Great Camp built by William West Durant, and toured historical buildings with George Steele who is the education program instructor for Camp Pine Knot. Students also participated in winter camp activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and animal tracking.
Students were chaperoned by six Bolton CSD staff members including Yuliana Cummings, Molly Gordon, Cody Kober, Molly Magee, Dustin Reiter and Daniel Sheridan. “In addition to nurturing our students’ character development we also hope they gain an appreciation for the beautiful Adirondacks that we live in,” said Molly Gordon, School Psychologist, “Camp Huntington is a unique excursion for our students and we hope they are able to also discover winter activities they can do for life.”
This trip has been a part of the Bolton Central School curriculum for over twenty years.
Mr. Sheridan shared his reflection of this unique experience, both as a student and an educator;
“I had the opportunity to camp overnight at Raquette Lake when I was in 6th grade, both in the fall and in the winter. I remember having a great time with my teachers and friends, learning about the outdoors, while skiing, snowshoes, (and canoeing during the fall trip). For many kids, it was the first time away from home, and an outdoor experience that was new and exciting. The trip hasn’t fundamentally changed in the past two decades, but with George Steele as the on-sight educator, I believe the students today are getting even more out of the experience. To this day, I still look back fondly on the memories of going to Raquette Lake with my classmates, as well as Mr. Andrejkovics, and that is why I was excited to take the helm and continue the tradition of this trip.”
This immersive experience helps provide a greater understanding of the environment in our own backyard and creates memories to last a lifetime.