The traditional Marlborough senior trip will take place in Ojai this May after a two year hiatus. In pre-COVID-19 years, the Marlborough senior class traveled to a camp in Hawaii, but because of Hawaii’s stricter quarantine policies, Marlborough decided to choose a destination closer to home.
Claire Yang ’23 staff illustrator
“This virus is predictably unpredictable, and we want to have something that doesn’t have to be canceled at the last minute. We chose a location that was [with]in a day’s drive, ideally less than 3 hours, just in case somebody did get sick and needed to go home,” 12th Grade Dean Alison Moser said.
The seniors will arrive at Forest Home Campground in Ojai on Monday, May 16th, and plan on staying until Thursday. Senior class president Eva was an integral part of planning the trip, as she found the location and assisted Moser in planning activities.
“After hearing the news about Hawaii not being a possibility this year, I wanted to ensure we found a place that would allow seniors to create amazing memories and I feel like the place we are heading to in Ojai is the perfect alternative for that,” Eva said.
According to Moser, a big part of the decision to host the trip in Ojai was wanting the experience to be safe and intimate, as the campground will be completely private and only house the senior class and their chaperones. The trip will follow a similar layout to past Hawaii trips; it will offer structured activities like rock climbing and archery but still allow seniors flexibility and free time. The graduating class will continue the Marlborough tradition of opening their letters-to-self, letters that seniors and their friends wrote to their future selves in 8th grade, with their classmates.
“I feel very grateful that our trip isn’t getting canceled and I actually get to open letters with my friends instead of alone in my bedroom,” senior Dani said. “I’m excited to end our year on a high note.”
In order to prepare for the trip, earlier in the 2021-2022 school year Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Regina Rosi-Mitchell conducted a design challenge where the senior class brainstormed possibilities for their senior trip. The class was split up into groups and was asked to discuss which elements of the experience were most important to them and what they wanted to maintain from previous years. The students agreed that being outside and together should be their priority for the senior trip.
“This year the trip is more vital than ever as it will create an environment for the senior class to bond and enjoy time after the stress of Covid, the college application process, and navigating a heavy workload,” Eva said.