February 16, 2017

Senior Trip 2017

Hard to believe another graduating class is upon us at International Community School. This year's senior class is smaller than previous years (at around 65) but just as geared up to graduate and move into college as any year I've experienced to date. The Senior Trip, held some 12 weeks before graduation, certainly provides a way for these kids to gather as a group and reflect on their time at ICS before venturing out on their own.

This year the resort of choice was the Grand View Hideaway on the island of Koh Samet in the Gulf of Thailand. It was nice to have a short travel time between the school and resort, taking only a few hour bus ride to the pier plus another 30 minute boat ride to island.

I thought the Grand View was a good choice for this year's smaller senior class size seeing how the resort itself was somewhat contained in area. Even though the beach did not go on for miles and there was no common facility to gather, including dining room, there were places we could interact and ended up eating on the beach for meals.




We also appreciated room accommodations that had all the comforts of home.



The Class of 2017 is a good group of kids and I will definitely miss seeing their smiling faces around campus next year!


During the planning stages of the trip the students asked for a lot of free time... and that is exactly what they got! Even the day they were to spend snorkeling was cut short because they felt it was too cold for them at 20C with a breeze =) I still say these kids need to experience what cold really is -- spend a winter in Canada and they would soon covet the 20C temps!










Since the snorkeling and banana boat activities were a bust beyond our control, the staff once again improvised and created a relay race on our last full day. It was great to see the kids team up and participate in the kayak and sand castle building competitions.











We had a good group of chaperones on this trip who all pitched in to make sure things ran smoothly over the four day trip. Steve, for instance, spoke to the kids in the first evening about the need to plan for a proper goodbye in a few months time. In other words, strive to end on a good note rather than just run out the door without looking back!






I also appreciated Steve's talk on the second evening about leaving a legacy. Whether we realize it or not, we all leave a legacy and he gave us some good examples of how each graduating class to date has left their mark on ICS, as have former teachers.

When the staff members on the trip were asked to participate in a Six Word Challenge that summarized their values/beliefs and could help lead others to a healthy personal legacy, I submitted the phrase:

"Action equals consequence, so choose wisely!"

This is not only a mantra that I live by but is also my prayer for the students at our school -- that they would indeed remember there is a consequence (good or bad) for every decision made. Of course, I also pray they would consider the ultimate action to recognize and include God in their lives before they make any other decision!

The four days went by quickly and we found ourselves boarding the boat to the mainland where buses were waiting to take us back to our daily routines. Our time at Koh Samet was a wonderful opportunity to stop and reflect before rushing into the next chapter.