Steep Climb

Freshman Lisa Sproat scales the climbing tower at the 4-H Memorial Camp adjacent to Allerton Park early Friday. The Class of 2011's Allerton field trip took place Thursday and Friday under the direction of health education teacher Andi Phillips and numerous parent and faculty volunteers. The students spent two days of climbing, falling, running, yelling, doing geometry, and building boats out of cardboard. "The trip went smoothly (with the exception of the earthquake …) and I enjoyed watching everyone work together and have so much fun," Phillips said in an e-mail. This was the third straight year that Uni freshmen have gone to Allerton. The idea and initial plans for this trip were developed in 2005 by current junior Isaac Chambers, who wanted a way to help his class bond and to provide some alternate learning experience. Chambers had done a similar trip in middle school and thought it would be a fun thing for Uni to try. "The Allerton trip is a great experience in many ways," said Chambers. "It allows students to learn in a new environment, bond with their fellow classmates, and get a break from the regular schedule."