After a restful Chuseok Break, 6th grade students embarked on the MS CARES Trip to Suwon on September 23 to 25. Despite Suwon being a mere hour away, our 78 students and 10 staff members stepped away from the comforts of city-life, as we explored the forest outside Suwon and the historical landmarks of the Joseon Dynasty. The MS Cares trip focused on experiencing the beautiful culture and landscapes of Korea, a country we are blessed to call home. 

When we arrived in Suwon on Monday morning, students were greeted by the staff of Adventure Korea, a Korea travel agency. Adventure Korea led students in two rotations of outdoor, team-building activities — Ecoteering and Bushcraft. In Ecoteering, students got their hands dirty, as they explored the surrounding nature with a compass in hand. Students completed a variety of mini-activities such as leaf-print art and mystery boxes and then used their compass to determine the next location. In Bushcraft, students developed survival skills such as water filtration, knot-tying, and building wilderness survival shelters. 

In the evening, 6th graders did not allow their tiredness to stop them from jumping right back into more team-building. After enjoying a delicious Korean meal, students had the opportunity to play glow-in-the-dark soccer, sing karaoke, and learn traditional Korean games.

As if Day 1 wasn’t action-packed enough, Day 2 saw students head to the historical center of Suwon for a day of Korean history. Students donned a bow, as they shot arrows at the base of the Hwaseong Fortress wall. In addition, students walked in the footsteps of the ancient Joseon leaders, as they hiked a portion of the fortress wall. 

Throughout the two days, students shared memorable experiences and built trusting relationships with their peers. Stepping out of their comfort zone helped students to realize the resilience, grit, and growth mindset that they each had. When I asked students how they enjoyed the trip, the two phrases I heard the most were,“Why was it only two days?” and “Can we do another MS CARES in the Spring?!?” It goes without saying that our trip was an overwhelming success and will be remembered by students for years to come.