By Samara Kinyanjui ’27
The Freshman Trip to Lake Placid, NY, is a tradition that has been around for twenty-eight years. Every year, the freshman class trips to Lake Placid, NY, to enjoy time with their class and create new bonds. During the trip the students participate in many activities with their peers. This 2024 Freshman Trip entailed skiing and snowboarding at Whiteface Mountain, playing in a broomball game at the Olympic Rink, skating at the oval, swimming in the hotel pool, and group-style dinners. The Freshmen Trip is an event that the grade will remember for the rest of their time at the Frederick Gunn School and their lives.
Over the course of the three-day trip, many opportunities to have fun were offered. On the first day, students and prefects left the school at 11:00 am and arrived at the hotel around 3:45 pm. This time between dinner and the arrival was the time for students to unpack their belongings. The students then enjoyed a family-style dinner at a local pizza restaurant. After dinner, the students could decide if they wanted to go swimming or ice skating before they had to return to the hotel for nightly check-in. On the second day, the students woke up early for breakfast provided by the hotel and then headed to Whiteface Mountain. The students spent six hours on the mountain where they could ski and snowboard. Afterward, they had time to change into new clothes before heading to the Olympic Museum and then playing a game of broomball and enjoying dinner as a group at a local restaurant. At the end of the night, they could go ice skating again or enjoy the hotel pool before they had to check-in. On the last day of the trip, students packed up and could head out to enjoy a breakfast of their choice nearby before they would have to head back to school.
The Freshman Class Trip is a core part of the freshman experience at the Frederick Gunn School. The trip is three days long in Lake Placid, NY. Ninth grade is the only year students will attend Lake Placid, making this trip even more special. This time away from the school is essential because it allows the freshman class to get closer to their peers if they have not already. Every other grade at the Frederick Gunn school partakes in Mountain Day instead of going to Lake Placid, meaning they go to Mohawk Mountain for a day of skiing and snowboarding instead of their regular classes.
Lilla Trotta, Class of 2027, shared her experience on the Freshman Class Trip and how she felt about it. “The freshman trip was an amazing experience. I had a great time and got to hang out with my day-student friends for as long as I would with other boarding students. It was a chance to connect with others if I had not already. If I could experience the amount of fun I had with my classmates, I would definitely do it again!” In the end, the experience is something every freshman can hold dear.
