This blog post was contributed by Naki, a 6th grade BOOST Scholar. Here, Naki describes her cohort’s last overnight field trip of the 2018 year.

For our field trip we went to the Trinity Center in Pine Knoll Shores. Over our trip we explored the Bogue Sound, the coastal beach, we went fishing with nets, and dissected a squid. We also visited the aquarium, made s’mores over a bonfire, told spooky stories, and made long-lasting memories.

At this trip we learned about tidal zones while on the beach of the coast of North Carolina. My favorite part of the trip was the sound class. In sound class we learned about what a sound is, what can be found in a sound, and then we explored the Bogue Sound. A sound is a body of brackish water that separates the mainland from the barrier islands. The sound was super fun! We had nets and went fishing. Though we didn’t catch any fish, we caught clams, welcs, baby jellyfish, sea snails, and we saw a stingray! The sound was very peaceful. There were no waves at all and the closest buildings were on the opposite side of the sound. Since the water was knee-deep, we got to go very far in.  This was nice because we got to really explore the great outdoors in a unique way!

I learned quite a lot from this experience. For example, I learned about the unique insides of a squid, about what a sound is, and that brackish water is a fresh, saltwater mix. I learned about creatures in the sound, for example welcs, and mollusks and glass shrimp. I also learned team-building skills, like positivity, bravery, and effort.  We practiced trust exercises. For example, we went on a walk in the woods in pairs. One of us was blindfolded and the other had to give good directions in order to get us out of the woods. I really connected with my fellow BOOST scholars who attended this trip.

This trip showed me the importance of traveling and exploring new things. It’s important to be exposed to science in life around us. We were in a diverse, lively, and clear environment. Some kids thrive in environments like this. In today’s modern age with technology and cell phones, most kids don’t get to experience the diverse outdoors, so it’s important for kids to be exposed to activities and trips. This was a very great opportunity that will leave long-lasting memories.