On Sunday, February 23, the STEM class took off on a trip to Big Bend National Park and returned on Thursday, February 27. Over the trip, they hiked over 20 miles on several Trails. They hiked the Lost Mine Trail, the Windows Trail, the Santa Elena Trail, and the Hot Springs Trail. On the last day, they wrapped up the trip by hiking the Balance Rock Trail to see the sunrise. They also canoed seven miles down the Rio Grande River, bordering Mexico and America. The students were all separated into different tribes, and in the evenings, the tribes would do devotions, skits, and games. They also did “Legends and Lyrics,” where they told legends about the star constellations and sang songs. The students then made their dinners with their tribes. They made tacos, chicken fajitas, barbecue chicken sandwiches, and breakfast tacos. When eighth grader Jacob Agness was asked how he liked the trip, he said, “I loved hiking the Santa Elena Trail and the canoeing down the river. I enjoyed getting closer to my friends and the good food we had. We also saw a ram up on a mountain, which was a thrilling experience.” This tradition of the STEM class visiting Big Bend has been in place since 2022 and it will be held for many years to come.