By Kay M. Roth
Before the close of the school term, fifth graders at Scio’s Centennial Elementary explored a part of the state unfamiliar to them during a field trip to the Mitchell area.
The classes of Kathy Child and Tara Meisner had a variety of fundraisers to raise the money needed for 50 students to go on the three-day trip.
An added bonus was getting the chance to visit one of their teachers’ hometowns. Meisner grew up in the Mitchell area and her parents maintain the family home outside of town.
The group got an early start on Wednesday, May 20, so they could take a short detour to Smith Rock State Park, northeast of Prineville. There, the students tackled some of the hiking trails around the rock. After several hours exploring, the students boarded their school bus to head to the town of Mitchell.
Arriving at their destination, students debarked at Mitchell School gymnasium and had a pizza dinner and settled in for the night. Several of the chaperones had been to Mitchell two years ago when both fourth and fifth graders went on the trip.
Early the next morning they boarded the bus ready for a day of fun, exploration and learning. The first stop was the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
The students took walks to get a close up view of the painted hills, with Meisner talking about what they were seeing and Child, who was making her second trip, pointing out local fauna.
The children then traveled on to Bureau of Land Management property for a walk along an old wagon road., with Meisner and her father Tim Misener (both last names sound the same) leading the way,. They hiked approximately 3 miles before getting back on the bus for the ride to the Misener home along the John Day River.
Eating lunch at the house where one of their teachers grew up proved to be fun. The kids got a kick out of Meisner’s tales of being raised on a ranch a good half hour’s drive from Mitchell.
“It was a great place to grow up,” she told the kids.
Another treat came when they got the chance to look at pelts and traps. Some of the students and adults took a hike to nearby fossil beds on the Misener ranch. Many returned with fossils, bones and smooth rocks to take home as souvenirs.
That evening there was a cookout at the Mitchell City Park. The kids had a game of touch football, played on the play equipment and visited.
After a second night in the gym, it was homeward bound! Both teachers agreed that they would love to return.
“It’s a great trip,” said Child.
