BFHS band enjoys Seattle trip, creates lasting memories
The Seattle trip was an amazing experience for the band students.
We arrived on Wednesday night at the hotel where the students swam and socialized.
?The next morning we visited the Pacific Science Center, thanks to Bonners Ferry Rotary! It is an absolutely amazing place with exhibits that range from saltwater tide pools where you can see and touch sea creatures, a butterfly house where you walk among the butterflies, insect village with a variety of fascinating creatures to watch, and hands-on science demonstrations (picture 3010). We finished the visit with an amazing IMAX movie about the Galapagos Islands. That afternoon we took a brief detour to see the Fremount Troll (picture 343) and then visited discovery park. Students hiked a variety of nature trails down to the shoreline and explored the tide pools (picture 348). We saw blue heron, crabs, sea anemones, and many other creatures and shells. Several parents wearing pedometers tracked our hike at around 6.5 miles.
Friday morning we began with a visit to the Kubota Gardens, hand built by a Japanese man over more than 30 years. If you ever get the chance we all highly recommend it! Many students said it was their favorite part of the trip and it’s free! A beautiful 20 acre park with a mix of Japanese and Northwest plants complete with secret paths and bridges and a series of waterfalls. What an awesome place! For lunch and shopping we spent several hours at Pike’s Place Market, complete with fish-throwing, the candy store, random treasure, the original Starbucks, and clam chowder. Next, we traveled to the EMP (Experience Music Project) a pop culture museum at the heart of the World’s Fair site. It is recognized as the crazy multi-colored metal building next to the Space Needle. The exhibits range from a two-story sculpture made mostly of guitars that performs music, to fantasy and horror exhibits that contain items from movies, literature, plays, and video games. There were interactive galleries to try instruments, mix music, or play with recording equipment and a huge collection of historical items and instruments from the grunge band Nirvana. Finally, we ended this incredibly packed day with our competition performance at Chief Sealth High School. We were the final band of the day and the students put on a nice performance after such an exhausting day.
Saturday morning we explored the Pier-55 area, Pioneer Square, Olympic Sculpture Park, and several students took a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel (ferris wheel). The conclusion of the trip was spent at the award ceremony for the competition which included a cruise ship ride out to Tillicum Village for a meal of fire-roasted salmon, bread, polenta (a first for many students!) green salad, fruit salad, and rice, followed by a performance with dancing, singing, and story telling by the Native American family and friends who operate the establishment. It ended with the award ceremony, where the Bonners Ferry band received third place.
Of all the trips I have taken with groups of students, this was by far the most amazing. The students were well-behaved, there were very few problems, the chaperones were AWESOME, and the students were absolutely a joy! For the huge amount of walking we did and a few meals that may not have been ideal, there was NO whining.
Everyone was happy, pleasant, and excited to explore and learn. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this group of students and chaperones!