A Campfire to Remember: 2024 Senior Trip

The college application season for the Class of 2025 has been both challenging and intense, filled with the demands of crafting essays, preparing for exams, and finalizing applications. That being said, maintaining and enabling a strong community within the grade has never been as crucial.

As our last months at Trevor approach, we seniors reflect on the time spent doing work in the Centers, taking candy from the College Office, and spending time with friends. There are a few moments we will all be together until our graduation in June. Because of this, the annual Trevor Senior Trip to Pine Forest Camp was one to remember, with group bonding activities, walks in nature, and, of course, the Senior campfire.

The camp, located in Greeley, Pennsylvania, is a typical sleepaway camp: covered in greenery, with basketball courts, ropes courses, and more activities throughout. Upon our arrival, we split into groups with some going to play dodgeball, tug of war, kickball, rock climbing courses, and a zip line! After these various activities, we were able to have some downtime when we relaxed in our bunks, played some tennis or basketball, or went on walks with friends. It was great to be able to relax and spend some quality time with our classmates away from school and the stress of senior year.

Following dinner, the countdown to the senior campfire began. We sprayed our bug spray, brought our cameras, and as a grade, headed to the campfire. As we circled the campfire, the only light coming from the blazing fire, Mr. Lindow stepped to the center to explain the long-lasting tradition. He began with its origins, saying, “The first campfire happened in the fall of 1991, the year that Trevor opened up its new high school. The outdoor education leader for the school at that time had some Native American ancestry and he devised a Fire Ceremony as the culminating event for that trip.” So, Mr. Lindow left a microphone in the middle of the circle telling the senior class to individually step forward and share their thoughts about the year to come, past years, and overall hopes. For the first ten minutes, nobody moved as we sat in silence. It was a game: who would get up first, what would they say, why are we doing this? Eventually, one by one, we started going up to the microphone, sharing everything our gratitude for our friends by our side, what Trevor has helped us achieve, or even what we wish we could have done differently. From struggles we faced with friends, family, teachers, and everything in between, we kept speaking until we had no idea how long we had been there.

The campfire allowed us to get to know all 86 seniors and their stories. Mr. Lindow explained, “Clearly that event was meaningful and powerful to the participants, because, as we know, it was repeated in the years to follow.” As a teacher and senior advisor who has attended over 20 campfires, when asked what he will remember he responded with, “The many students who talk about how quickly they were welcomed into the class and how being in the group helped them in understanding their own identity. The meetings tend to embody the best of the Trevor community– care and affection for one another and celebration of each individual’s unique worth.” I think that perfectly captures what the senior campfire and the Trevor community is about: friendship, community, and belonging.