On August 18, the eighth-grade Revolution team at Mayfield Middle School took a field trip to Camp Hi in Hiram, Ohio to canoe. The camp teaches students the skills necessary to be on the river and offers bonding and life-long memories.

Team Revolution took a trip down the upper Cuyahoga River in canoes. Each canoe had a group of three chosen by the students on team Revolution. The students had to work together to successfully make it down the river. The team teachers also brought the team R-E-V letters to the trip. These large green wooden letters made by teacher Mr. Mittinger last year as part of a new tradition, were signed by  team members the first day of school. Teachers thought it would be a good way to represents how team Revolution works together as one. The students on team Revolution took pictures with the letters to reinforce team and school pride.

When asked what led the teachers to select Camp Hi for the students’ first field trip, Mrs. Trentanelli responded, “We wanted to do something that got you outdoors, out of your element. It’s not something you can do in Mayfield.” Mrs. Williams states, “It’s just fun–having fun outside of the classroom…a way for us to be together as a team.”

By canoeing together, students also gained practice in listening to others and paying attention to their surroundings. Communication is key for these types of situations, Mrs. Williams, the science teacher on the Revolution team said and added, “Patience is a skill–patience with other people. perseverance, getting to know someone else and their limits. You get to see sides of people you don’t expect to see.”  Mrs. Trentanelli also said, “It was beautiful to see how groups of people that maybe didn’t know each other got out of their element to work together.”  According to thirteen.org, working together benefits adolescents. The site states that collaboration can strengthen otherwise weak skills and develop interpersonal skills. 

Camp Hi has been around since 1966. The camp, open April through October, has over twenty-five miles on the Cuyahoga River, which is known for its fishing and clean water for swimming. For beginners, Camp Hi puts canoers through training sessions to ensure the safety of passengers and to make sure they know what they’re doing. The river offers many scenic properties as well.

For Team Revolution, Camp Hi provided a break from the classroom walls to enjoy the fresh air and nature.