Fort Frye FFA students travel over 4,000 miles for Senior Trip
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Over 4,000 miles traveled. Three states. Hours and hours spent hiking through National Parks, driving down highways, and making memories around the campfire.
That's how five Fort Frye FFA seniors spent their spring break thanks to a trip sponsored by the Warren FFA Alumni. This adventure took us across some of the most iconic landmarks across California, Nevada, and beyond. From the soundless nights spent camping in Joshua Tree and Death Valley to the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip, our trip was filled with incredible experiences, personal growth, along with life long memories.
We kicked off our trip by first flying to Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world. After settling in -with only one mishap with our luggage, we immediately went to explore the city. We got to see the water fountain show at the Bellagio hotel, explore the shops through the canals at the Venetian, and to welcome the fabulous Las Vegas Sign.
One of the most memorable historical sights we saw was Hoover Dam just outside of the city.
After Vegas, we hit the road and made our way to Death Valley National Park, the hottest, dryest, and lowest place in the U.S. Despite the conditions, we explored hiking through the park, salt flats, canyons, and massive sand dunes. After Death Valley we drove to our second national park, Joshua Tree National Park. Going Horseback riding through the park was an unforgettable experience with its desert views and twisted trees. While horseback riding we had the chance to talk to one of the guides about the impact of the wildfires on her family and their home. This brought an issue that feels far from home to life for our members.
Each night we took out our sleeping bags and went camping in the parks. The dead silence of night, with only the sounds of the wind and burning fire, was some of our favorite memories with deep conversations.
One of the most meaningful parts of our senior trip was visiting the Lucerne Valley FFA chapter in California. We had the opportunity to tour their school and meet other FFA members. We exchanged ideas and talked about our favorite FFA activities. It was a reminder of how widespread FFA is across the country and its impact on all of its members. Every year our students plan a school wide cornhole tournament for charity during FFA Week. This year, the members were moved by the stories of wildfires, its effects on agriculture, and how it may have caused loss for students in the California FFA Association. They decided they wanted to support California FFA members through a donation, with hopes it would help members in some capacity. After our trip we were even further encouraged to make this donation with chapter support at our last meeting.
Reflecting on our experience, I feel a sense of gratitude for the bonds and memories made during our time. The hours spent hiking through the national parks, laughter around the campfire, and the bonds that grew even stronger during those long drives are moments that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.