Expeditionary Learning

List of 8 items.

• Grade Five

  Grade Five students travel to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Carlsbad, NM, to explore the more than 119 caverns hidden beneath the Chihuahuan Desert.  The caves are formed from sulfuric acid and dissolved limestone.  The students will enjoy a relaxing evening and night at Washington Ranch before heading to McKittrick Canyon in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park to gain a deeper understanding of the landforms and ecosystem of this unique location. The guided hike provides an opportunity for students to learn the history, geography, ecology, and diversity of the Canyon. This is a one night trip. 

• Grade Six

  Grade Six students explore the Dallas Arboretum before settling in to a one-of-a-kind overnight experience at the Perot Museum. While at the Museum students enjoy a 3D film experience, access to all eleven permanent exhibit halls, a dynamic science presentation, and end the night with a Dinosaur Dance. On the way home, students enjoy a stroll and lunch at the Abilene Zoo. This one-night, two-day trip allows students a wonderful opportunity to experience science in a unique and very personal way and is scheduled in the fall.

• Grade Seven

  Grade Seven students travel to Austin, where they tour the Texas State Capital, allowing them to delve deeper into Texas history. After their visit to the Capital, the class heads to Dixie Dude Ranch in Bandera, where they participate in several hands-on activities prepared by their teachers. The students also experience Texas history stories around the campfire, a scavenger hunt, an orienteering challenge, and a horseback ride. This two-night, three-day trip continues to be one of the most memorable, enriching, and team-building experiences offered to students and is scheduled in the spring.

• Grade Eight

  Grade Eight students attend The Outdoor School at Camp Champions in Marble Falls, Texas, for four days and three nights. The Outdoor School Education Program promotes team building, class bonding, and provides opportunities for leadership in a challenging outdoor environment. Students are challenged through low and high ropes courses, which reinforce teamwork, trust, empathy, communication, and group problem-solving skills. Students also have opportunity to hike Enchanted Rock and explore Longhorn Caverns. This trip is scheduled in the spring.

• Grade Nine

  Grade Nine students explore and experience the historic and prehistoric cultures found across New Mexico, while participating in several different educational opportunities available there. From ancient cultures such as those found in Bandelier National Monument to the birth of the nuclear age at Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos, this trip spans thousands of years of human development. Students gain appreciation for geologic and human history time scales and see how the natural environment impacts human culture and vice versa. This trip is scheduled in the spring.

• Grade Ten

  Grade Ten students explore and experience a variety of educational and cultural opportunities available in Dallas and Fort Worth with a focus on visiting colleges in the area. Private and public institutions, as well as large and small schools, are included in the schedule to expose students to a wide range of college experiences. The college counselor accompanies students on this trip so that he can begin the conversation about finding a “just right” school with each student. This trip is scheduled in the spring.

• Grade Eleven

  Grade Eleven students enjoy the beauty and scenery of the Texas Hill Country juxtaposed with some unique individual and group challenges at Camp Eagle in Rocksprings. Utilizing a facility nestled at the headwaters of the Nueces River, participants complete activities that help them to grow as individuals, build self-confidence, and learn to take calculated risks. This adventure is designed to help students looking ahead to their senior year and beginning the college search process and is scheduled in the spring.

• Grade Twelve

  Grade 12 students participate in two expeditionary learning experiences. Each fall, they participate in a retreat that purposefully sets aside time to focus on the special year ahead for seniors. During this retreat, time is spent reflecting on the “giants” that have supported each student and the experiences that have led them to this point in their lives. The retreat also provides an opportunity for seniors to strengthen bonds with one another as they begin their last year of high school. Each spring, seniors retreat once again on campus for a week exploring skills and strategies that will serve them well in their lives after graduation.