Every year in the spring, Kingfishers go on a school-wide trip to an unknown destination. This year, we went west to Tennessee. Our bus driver, Ms. Sherry, picked us up at school around 8:00 on March 3. After good-byes and phone collection, we were on our way! The first point of interest was the town of Kingstree, where Richard got to see the train station, but (sadly) no train. For our first lunch, we brought bagged lunches into a Hardees south of Columbia, where kids could order drinks or dessert and visit the convenience store next door.

After many hours on the bus ride heading west on the interstate, we finally got off onto smaller roads and arrived at Roan State Park, just over the border in Tennessee. We were all eager to check out our cabins, the area, and to simply get out of the bus. As we stepped out, we were in awe of the towering pine trees, rugged landscape, and picturesque cabins situated on a hilly horseshoe road surrounded by the woods. We grabbed our luggage and toiled up the steep hill to our cabins, which were clean and spacious. They had A/C as well! 

Just as we began to settle in, we were all informed that we would all have to meet back up at the bus, ready for a hike. Everybody was a bit drowsy from the bus ride, so we needed a good way to stretch our legs and wake ourselves up. What better way than to climb a mountain? Before boarding, the teachers divided everyone into four groups: the Chickens, the Horses, the Rabbits, and the Snakes. Each group had to find its members by silently doing its animal’s “dance.” Next, we re-boarded the bus by groups and took a quick trip to Carver’s Gap (elevation 5512 feet).

Up here, it was 20° colder, with 30 mph wind gusts. Everybody got out of the bus and began to hike up the path, slowly making their way up the slope covered in a layer of grass akin to that of a hay field. As we ascended, we soon entered a forest filled with a vast amount of spruce trees, blocking out the wind we had previously been facing. The trees also shielded us and some small patches of snow from the sunlight. As we got close to the peak of our hike, we exited the forest and came to a large rock on the slope. Many of us climbed on top of it, to better appreciate the beautiful view of the mountain range and the sun as it began to dip down behind the horizon. When the sun finally disappeared, we realized it was time to go, so we all took our final looks, returning back down the trail to our bus. Soon we were back at the cabins, ready for our dinner of hamburgers and potato salad.

Roan State Park was really nice. Each cabin had two beds upstairs, a couch, and a suite room for the teacher. One cabin ended up with six high school boys. “We spent much of our down time playing card games and hide-and-seek,” Reece said. Their favorite day was when they got to make ramen with leftovers and “pie” from a “prison” recipe. The middle-schoolers spent evenings outside searching for monsters they called “skinwalkers.” High-schoolers joined in to scare them. The stars were amazing in all that darkness.

The next day, we were back in the bus early so we could drive to Oak Ridge, a town outside of Knoxville. There, we visited The American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE). This museum, located in a strip mall, is dedicated to showing the vital importance of science and engineering in our past, present and future. Before we were let loose to explore the museum, our knowledgeable docent led us into a conference room to show us a very “shocking” device. The device she pulled out of a broom closet was a vintage Van der Graaf generator, used to create static electricity on a large scale. She demonstrated its power: with one hand on the machine, she lit up fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling by gesturing at them. The most exciting part was when she had us put our hand on the dome of the device and the static electricity caused any hair we had to stand up. This wonderful machine even caused Dr. Gates’s arm hair to frizz and Jamie’s braids to curl up at the ends. You can see from the photo of Elizabeth how surprising the experience was!

When we showed up at Chik-Fil-A for lunch, we were greeted with a nasty surprise: the Oak Ridge warning siren began blasting and continued for three solid minutes. It turns out that the local emergency alert system is tested on the first Wednesday of every month! We were “lucky” to experience this aspect of local culture.

After Chik-Fil-A, we went to the Ice Chalet, a skating rink in Knoxville. Ice skating has become a tradition after last year’s unforgettable experience in Williamsburg. This rink was a lot nicer, with some really talented skaters zipping around. Energy filled us as soon as we stepped inside, the cold air buzzing with our excitement and anticipation.

Students took to the ice, creating a scene that was both chaotic and joyful. Some wobbled along the edge of the rink before inevitably slipping and falling, only to burst into laughter as their friends tried to help them back up. A few high-schoolers showed off, or at least attempted to, spinning, racing, and joking around with a confidence that didn’t always match their balance. Despite the falls, the atmosphere remained lighthearted and full of fun.

On the third day of our trip, we took another long but lively bus ride to the University of Tennessee in downtown Knoxville. UT is a massive campus, home to more than 30,000 students. Stepping off the bus, we could immediately feel the school spirit and energy of a place that never really slows down. We kicked things off with a guided tour led by Kate and Haylee, who brought the campus to life with their enthusiasm and inside knowledge. As we walked, we got to see both the official mascot (the Torchbearer) and unofficial mascot (Smokey the Bluetick Coonhound) that represent the school’s spirit, along with some of the most impressive parts of campus, including their state-of-the-art nursing building and the enormous stadium that stands as a symbol of school pride.

As the tour continued, we made our way to one of the most iconic traditions on campus, the Rock. This massive boulder serves as a creative outlet for students, who cover it in layers of paint to share messages, promote upcoming events, and even advertise sign-ups for clubs and activities. It’s constantly changing, a colorful reflection of student life. Our guides told us a wild story about how, after an anonymous student once painted a coach’s phone number on the Rock following a controversial decision, the university had to install 24-hour surveillance to keep things under control. Moments like that made it clear just how passionate, and even sometimes unpredictable the student body can be.

By the end of the tour, the heat and the walking had definitely caught up to us, so stopping at the main dining hall, Rocky Top, was the perfect idea. The two-story cafeteria was huge, filled with a wide variety of food options that seemed to go on forever. From quick snacks to full meals, there was something for everyone. We had a chance to relax, refuel, and take in everything we had just experienced.

Overall, visiting the University of Tennessee wasn’t just a campus tour, it was an inside look at a vibrant college community full of tradition, energy, and personality. It left many of us imagining what it might be like to one day be part of a place like that when we graduate.

Our meal at the Rocky Top Dining Hall was very satisfying but there was no time for a nap. The bus took us to Navitat Recreation Center, an outdoor paradise with gardens, walking trails, and a ziplining course! We immediately forgot our full stomachs and got geared up in harnesses and helmets, ready for adventure. After a little training in how to stay safe by some very patient guides, we started out on different levels of high ropes. The group was really stoked and got out on the ropes 40 feet in the air as fast as possible. “I really liked all of the different ropes courses,” Nolan said. “My favorite course was Treason, the hardest one. It definitely tested my upper body strength.”

The last formal meal we had on this year’s school trip was at Freddy’s Steak Burgers. This restaurant really is few eateries back in Georgetown because the interior was a 1960’s diner featuring crimson red booths, black and white checkerboard pattern floors, and a friendly staff. Students were very happy to stretch their legs and enjoy some custard and burgers while resting in the booths.

The ride home from our atomic adventures in Tennessee was pleasant and bittersweet at the same time. We got up bright and early to pack our things, clean the cabins, and make sure we didn’t forget anything before boarding the bus. We were very grateful to our bus driver Sherry for driving us this year and we all thanked her for her excellent driving. On the bus, there was plenty of excitement as many high and middle school students played games and ranted about everything that happened on the trip. Some were too tuckered out, though. “With how much we did on the trip,” said one high-schooler, “I slept the whole way home.” The student chatter went away when we passed Columbia because Dr. Gates handed out our phones. This trip to Tennessee was exciting for the new students on their first school trip. It was also bittersweet for the seniors on their last one. We will not be forgetting the adventures we had in Tennessee anytime soon!

By Eleanor, Larson, Nolan, Reece, Caleb and Hannah

Photos courtesy of Marsh Deane