Junior and Senior High School Students on a Trip to Remember

"One can succeed best and quickest by helping one another", this inspired the Holy Family School Administrators to initiate team building activities as the highlight of this year's annual field trip of the High School department. However, the field trips of the Junior and Senior high school students took place on different days.

On September 20, 2018, the Grades 11 & 12 SHS students first trooped to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to enjoy the day filled with fun activities and attain the school's objective to build the spirit of trust and teamwork among the students.

The Paradise Adventure Camp staff welcomed the Familians with an energizing Zumba activity. During the morning session, the students were divided into four (4) groups before they headed to their land activities. The team building activities were: wooden blocks lifting, PVC pipes with tubes and balls. They were also taught how to create pots out of recycled bottles and were given a chance to plant seedlings.

Furthermore, the facilitators demonstrated to the students about the various techniques in table skirting and table napkin folding. They challenged the Familians to do the same as well with the mindset that they are preparing for a grand party. Inside a simulation room, there was a cozy bed that made the students feel as if they are in a real hotel. The assigned personnel showed them how to make beds the way housekeeping services do it.

Moreover, the students were truly excited as they prepare for their water activities in the afternoon. They were loudly singing their group chants while heading towards the pool area. The water activities were: pass the pail using the feet, group hula-hoop game, shoot the ball, and kayaking. Every team was cheering for themselves because everyone was eager to win the games. Smiles and laughter were completely evident in the whole place. It was a great time to bond with each other especially when they were given some free time to swim around. This concluded the field trip of the senior high school department.

After a week, Familians from Grades 7-10, together with their subject teachers and advisers, also went on the annual field trip that was held at the same venue, Paradise Adventure Camp in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan last September 27, 2018. On their way, students and teachers took 6 buses and a van to reach their destination and altogether, the buses departed from HFS at around 6:00 am. During the one and a half hour trip to Paradise Adventure Camp, assigned facilitators of each bus entertained the students by sharing interesting facts. Moreover, the facilitators also shared additional information about San Jose Del Monte.

Upon arriving to the destination, students lined up according to their section together with their assigned facilitators. Thereafter, introductions were made and safety precautions were discussed as well as the expected behavior that needs to be met to achieve a safe and fun experience throughout the day. To reinvigorate their spirits for the day, students had a lively Zumba dance led by students who volunteered and facilitators.

After the short energizing activity, students were grouped into two for them to accomplish all of the activities efficiently. The first group consisted of Grades 7-8 who first did the water activities in the morning as the second group composed of Grades 9-10 students did the land activities. In the afternoon, both groups switched activities.

The water activities covered a variety of team-building activities such as: “Pass the Water” using recycled noodle cups, learning how to maneuver kayaks, water volleyball using giant nets, as well as Hula-hoop games. On the other hand, land activities focused more on the combined ability of critical thinking skills and teamwork such as: the arrangement of the correct sequence of the terms of the country’s presidents, wooden block-building using a single thin plaque of metal tied with ropes, table napkin folding, pipe relay, and Pinoy Henyo.

After all of the activities were achieved, an evaluation was led by each facilitator of the groups regarding the students’ opinions and their experiences on the activities carried out. Most of the students stated that “the activities were all fun” while some shared that “the pipe relay activity was the hardest.” Nonetheless, everyone had fun and exchanged gratitude to each other for the cooperation that they contributed in all of the activities that were carried out. Before hopping inside the bus on their way back to Quezon City, Familians took pictures with their respective facilitators as a souvenir for the memorable and successful trip. All of the students and faculty staff of the bus returned safely at around 6 pm in their final destination, HFS, where parents soon picked up their daughters.

The field trip of both departments reaped a fruitful experience as it provided more exposure to various fields that are given less attention as well as additional knowledge and skills for the continuous growth of their abilities. It was indeed an educational and fun-filled trip for the Familians, a perfect time to rest from their academic workload and simply learn life-long lessons.