Spanning across the United States, there are 433 National Park sites, each with their own unique offerings. At Hackley, a small group of students take a class where they get to learn about and visit a few of these very special landmarks.
There are a wide variety of minor courses offered in the Upper School. From performing arts to astronomy, there is something for everyone. One new class is National Parks, which was first offered last year. In trimester I1, students learn about the National Parks System. The second part of the year is then focused around a spring break trip. They spent time learning about the animals and plants unique to the national park they will visit.
As part of the outdoor education curriculum, last year seven students learned about the United States national parks and camping skills. All their work throughout the school year was in preparation for their trip to the Channel Islands and Joshua Tree in California. Each year the class runs, there is a different trip, in which the class visits two national parks.
Throughout the trip, students wrote blogs about each day. These blogs became cherished memories of the trip and a way for parents to read about what students were doing. Each blog included what they did, funny moments, and snippets of how they were getting to know each one of their peers better.
After a long six-hour flight, they landed in Los Angeles. They weren’t done yet, though, as they had to drive for another three hours in a van with ten people to their hotel in San Bernardino. Even after a long day, they spent their night enjoying Chipotle and playing the card game “Golf.”
Joshua Tree was the first stop of the trip. Before leaving the hotel, students and teachers fueled up on waffles. After heading out to the campground, it started to rain. The girls’ group struggled to find their campground but managed to set up their tent just before the rain intensified. With all the rain, they had to find somewhere for lunch so they headed over to Yucca Tree Restaurant, where most enjoyed burgers.
After lunch, they visited a museum where they learned about the wildlife and geography around them. Although it was raining, they didn’t let that stop them from having fun. They went to a bowling alley to kill some time and then headed to Walmart to purchase food for the next few days. To make the shopping experience exciting, they raced to see which group could finish their shopping first and who could guess the price. Everyone on the trip took turns making different meals for the group, including spaghetti, tacos, and grilled cheese.
In Joshua Tree, they hiked a variety of trails, including the Willow Hole Trail, the Hidden Valley Nature Trail, and the High View Nature Trail. The Willow Hole Trail has amazing views and cool-shaped rocks. On the Hidden Valley Nature Trail, they were accompanied by a naturalist who answered their many questions along the way. The High View Nature Trail was a 1.3-mile hike where they saw snow-capped peaks in the background. After a nice long hike, they visited Skull Rock and enjoyed the sunset.
“Skull Rock was a really unique and incredible experience,” said sophomore Charlie Heim. “It was something that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. We spent our time there exploring and climbing up each rock formation.”
Throughout their time camping they enjoyed campfires with s’mores and reflections of their days. After a few days of camping, they saw northern elephant seals. They also saw Hearst Castle during their time in San Simeon.
They visited the home of Hackley alumnus Peter Strauss ‘65. There, they learned about all the different types of Citrus trees he has as well as what he does with all the fruit. Students on the trip tasted the oranges, which each had their own flavor. Strauss also showed them many fruit trees and the many different plants in his garden from all around the world including one of the largest oak trees in California, right in his own backyard. Before heading out, everyone jumped in the pool and enjoyed some fun in the sun.
“It was amazing to meet a Hackley alumnus with such a successful career, and a genuine passion and interest for the plants that he grows. My mom was ecstatic to hear that I met Peter Strauss, the star of her favorite TV series, Kane & Abel,” said sophomore Mai Makiel. “As a fellow Hackley student and nature enthusiast, I relate to Mr. Strauss, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet someone who shares my love and interest in nature studies.”
The last stop on the trip was the Channel Islands in Santa Cruz. In order to get there the class boarded a ferry, where they looked for different signs of wildlife. To their surprise, they saw two sea lions flipping around in the water and a humpback whale circling around their boat spraying them.
So excited about the beautiful scenery and unique wildlife around them, they started their trip off with a kayaking trip around the island. With their tour guides, they encountered different caves and kayaked through them. The twists and turns shot them out at different angles as they paddled through the cave.
To end their fun day of kayaking, they hiked the Potato Valley Trail. Although it was a long, uphill hike, getting to the top was very rewarding. There was an amazing view of the coast and hills with giant coreopsis flowers accentuating the path. After taking in the view, and snapping a ton of pictures, they headed back to their campsite.
The trip to the Channel Islands had to be shortened due to predicted storms. At 3:00 a.m., some members of the group woke up to strong gusts of wind and rain rocking their tent back and forth. Around 10:00 a.m., they headed back to the mainland so they wouldn’t get stranded in the storm. On the ferry back, the waters were choppy, but they spotted a few whales in the distance.
They spent their second to last day bonding in their hotel and playing games. On the last day of the trip, they hiked up to the Hollywood sign where they saw horses along the way. They went to museums and escape rooms, the perfect way to end the trip.
“What I loved most about the trip was the family we created,” said sophomore Annabella Mancini. “What made the trip so special was the bond we created in such a short time.”
“I’m glad I signed up for the National Parks course,” said Mai. “And I’m incredibly grateful to Ms. Johnson, Mr. Hasslinger, Ms. Maddox, and everyone else who made the trip possible.”
That was the first year the class was offered at Hackley. Each year the class takes a different trip. The trip for the 2024-2025 school year will be to Florida. As of now, the trip will entail activities like a visit to the “Robert is Here” exotic fruit stand, a nine-mile kayak in the Everglades, and snorkeling on the island of Dry Tortugas, which junior Calliope Yannuzzi is most excited for, although junior Owen Lee said he’s most excited for their nine-mile kayak tour.
“This is a class I would recommend taking for people who like adventures and being surrounded by nature, plants, and animals,” said Charlie, who’s taking the class for the second time. “I’m really glad I signed up for this class and would definitely recommend it to anyone on the fence.”
