Seventh Graders Explore Theater and the Arts in Ashland

From May 12 to 14, our seventh graders traveled to Ashland for a class trip focused on theater, art, and community-building.

The group departed early on Tuesday morning and arrived in Ashland around lunchtime. After some time to relax and play in the park, students attended their first performance of the trip, Come From Away. After the show, students went to the Southern Oregon University dorms, where they stayed during the trip. After dinner in the dining hall, students enjoyed a fun evening of trivia and a movie before settling in for the night.

Wednesday was a full day of activities centered around the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Students began the day with a behind-the-scenes tour, where they learned about the different theater spaces, costume design, and the technical work that make the productions possible. The experience gave students a greater appreciation for the hard work involved in professional theater.

Following lunch in the park, students explored downtown Ashland, visiting local shops and enjoying time together before heading to an interactive theater workshop. The workshop encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones as they practiced acting techniques, participated in games, and explored performance skills. That evening, students attended a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, connecting back to the Shakespeare adaptations recently performed by our eighth graders on campus. 

On Thursday morning, the group packed up and began the journey back to Portland, stopping at the University of Oregon for lunch before arriving back at school later that evening.

The seventh-grade Ashland trip is designed to immerse students in the arts while also helping them build independence, collaboration, and confidence through shared travel experiences. As students prepare for future international travel in eighth grade, trips like this provide opportunities for growth and create lasting memories together.