Due to the war in Israel, the Israel trip was sadly canceled. However, the creative school administration came up with some last-minute activities to do on Friday, so that the first three weeks of school would still feel different and special in some way. The first was a trip to Oleta State Park, and the third was to The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center.
The first Friday had a typical start, just like any other day, but it started to feel different when all the grades loaded onto the buses, and the realization that we were all leaving campus to go on a field trip finally set in. When we got to the park, the ninth graders went kayaking, while the tenth and eleventh graders went mountain biking. Abby Warshofsky, a ninth grader who went kayaking, said this about her experience: “I found it nice that they decided to do the kayaking, and at least it was something for us to bond over. I thought it was really fun to get to know everyone, and I thought it was really great.” Julia Jerusalmi, a tenth grader, when asked how the mountain biking experience compared to Israel, said: “I feel like it compensated in another way because it was still a way for us to bond on that Friday. When we went to Israel last year, after four days, everyone was like friends. It felt like we’d known each other for years, so that was a cool and special thing to experience. I feel like it compensates in that way. The biking was a good experience, although some people had allergic reactions, and some things didn’t go as planned. It was very memorable.”
When the tenth and eleventh graders returned, the ninth graders were already there since kayaking had finished earlier. The students talked among themselves, excited because soon the grades would swap activities. Unfortunately, there was a severe weather warning, and the students were unable to proceed with the next activity. Instead, they had an early lunch. It didn’t rain during lunch, but shortly after, it started to rain heavily, and the trip had to be cut short. When the high schoolers got back to campus, they ended up having around thirty minutes of free time before pickup.
The third Friday was full of excitement and anticipation since the last trip had been rained out. The day again started like any other Friday, but as Tefila neared its end, the student body’s excitement grew. When prayer finally finished, all of JLA’s high schoolers flooded out of the Beit Midrash to get ready to go volunteer at The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, where the plan was to pluck weeds and clean up the beach.
After about an hour on the road, the buses arrived at The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center. When the school arrived, Jacqueline Kellogg, who was in charge and is a good friend of our very own Dr. Ochatt, introduced the nature center and herself to everyone. Before the volunteer work began, all the grades gathered in a small stone amphitheater and learned what exactly the work would entail. Shortly afterward, Jacqueline led the students to a garden, demonstrated how to pluck the weeds, and explained which ones should be removed. About thirty minutes into weeding, it started to pour, so everyone headed inside, where Jacqueline talked about hermit crabs and their shells. The storm stopped some time later, and the students went back to work.
After some time, it was lunch, and the food provided was sandwiches. After lunch, it was time to clean the beach. On the way to the beach, Jacqueline spoke about the plants and gave a brief nature walk. When all the students arrived at the beach, they started looking for plastic to collect in one of the designated buckets, which five people carried. Sari, a tenth grader, offered her thoughts on the overall experience. She said, “I think it was a really nice thing to do for the community, and I think it really helped some people and impacted them in a very positive way. It was a field trip to make the world a better place.” Sophie, a ninth grader, added, “I don’t think that it was the best decision for the school to make because it was super hot, and I really don’t think it was super beneficial for us. But, you know, they’re doing what they can. It’s really last-minute, so I understand why they did that.” At the end of the day, we got back to school, changed as fast as we could, and ended the day in the library with announcements.
In the end, the school did the best they could in such a short amount of time. The field trips allowed for bonding time between students and gave them the opportunity to participate in their community. The trips also provided a chance to leave school and have a different and unique experience.
