At 8:30 a.m., eighth graders stumble out of their beds, still adjusting from the 6-hour flight that brought them across the Atlantic to London the night before. For some, it’s their first time in Europe and navigating a new city without their parents.
“[Overnight trips] are an opportunity to develop independence skills and grow as a person, which is really important in adolescence, when they are separated from their parents,” explained Dan Doughty, Head of the Middle School at Poly Prep.
Overnight school trips not only enhance the curriculum with real-world experiences, but also serve as intentional community-building experiences that push students out of their comfort zones and shape friendships.
This year’s overnight trip lineup has included a required Grade Eight trip to Camp Mason located in Hardwick, New Jersey in September with Grade Seven in October, as well as optional sign-up overnight travel, such as Grade Eight’s Literary London experience in January and Grade Seven’s upcoming Chicago trip in April. However, optional overnight trips like Chicago and London have application processes and lotteries due to high interest.
Overnight trips have intentional rooming assignments. Students list their preferences, but faculty also use the opportunity to broaden social circles. “We try to match it all so that they’re with someone they’re comfortable with, but also getting to know new people,” stated Doughty.
The grade-wide trip toCamp Mason was designed for student bonding and independence. Visiting the camp remains a long-standing tradition at Poly. However, the trips were temporarily halted due to COVID and have since resumed, as stated in an article on the Poly Website.
“The camp is mainly outdoor activities. When we go there, [we go on different kinds of challenges] like hikes, canoeing, ropes course, zip lining, climbing and more,” Doughty stated. “Aside from the activities there’s an aspect of collaboration, teamwork and building throughout it.”
Led by English Faculty Lee Marcus, this year, eighthth-grade students had the chance to go to London, United Kingdom, for five days over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend to learn about history, English and the performing arts.
They participated in a workshop led by actors from “The Devil Wears Prada” and a Shakespearean acting workshop at The Golden Globe. They learned about immigrant storytellers and visited the British Museum, all while exploring the history of the East End of London, as stated in an article from Poly’s website.
Like others, Marcus noted a shift once abroad.
“I saw students forming so many new friendships and bonding over this shared experience,” he explained. “Now that we’ve returned to school, I’ve seen an impact of bonding and relationship development. Over the past three years [of this trip], we’ve had a couple of students inspired to try out for the school musical. It’s amazing to see the different ways that students have grown as a result of the experience.”
“It was a very unique experience that strengthened a lot of friendships that have already been made and allowed us to make more,” said Liam Rodriguez-John ’30, who attended the London trip this Fall.
Chicago
Last year, 28 seventh graders had the opportunity to go to Chicago, Illinois, alongside four teachers for a five-day exploration. Students had hands-on experiences grappling with science and poetry, as stated on the curricular travel page on the Poly Website.
It all started when Marcus approached Science Faculty Luke Davoren about running a joint trip. When asked why Chicago, Davoren explained, “There’s a lot of really incredible science museums, very interesting history that connects to urban design and architecture, and all of these curricular connections for English class with books that they read and poetry.”
Davoren explained that despite the packed itinerary, with trips to the Museum of Science and Industry, a river architecture tour, Navy Pier and a theatre performance, the real success was the attitude they brought to the trip and the social shift.
“They were really willing to be open to the experiences. A lot of these students had known each other for several years, and it seemed like many of them were able to restart on this trip. If some of them weren’t the closest friends before, they allowed for a new chance,” he explained.
Reflecting on both social and academic advancements made during the trip, Davoren looks forward to the trip being held this year, from April 16 through April 20.
Beyond the Destination
Whether students are zip-lining in New Jersey or navigating the Navy Pier, the location is only one factor in an impactful trip.
What matters most, as faculty say, is what students bring back: new confidence, independence, friendships and learning experiences.
