Sixth Graders Spend Four Days at Outdoor School

French International sixth graders spent October 16-19 at OMSI’s Hancock Field Station for Outdoor School.

They left French International’s campus on the morning of October 16. After a stop to stretch and one to eat lunch, they arrived at Hancock Field Station in Fossil, Oregon. They got cabin assignments and their groups for rotations.

During their time at camp, they went on hikes, looked for fossils, and learned about the history of the land. They studied geology and astronomy and even saw Jupiter and Saturn when looking through OMSI’s telescopes.

They had time for activities like board games, cards, volleyball, and tetherball. They had campfires with singalongs led by OMSI staff, French International staff, and some risk-taking students.

“My favorite activity was climbing a dried-up waterfall. It was really fun because I like bouldering and it was a lot like that.” -Lila

During the week, students had different responsibilities like washing dishes, preparing the dining hall for meals, and sweeping the bathrooms.

On the way home from Central Oregon, students stopped at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. They toured the Museum and had lunch before heading back to school to see their parents.

Outdoor School is a special experience for sixth-grade students. Sixth graders come from different elementary schools and have unique language backgrounds. It’s a chance for them to bond as a class, get to know people they don’t interact with regularly, and establish community. 

“When we were in the cabins, they mixed us. I made a lot of new friends and Outdoor School made us closer.” -Alexis