By Lynne Hendricks
NEWBURYPORT — Last year's Newburyport High senior class chose Disney World as the destination for their traditional class trip, but this year's graduating class came before the School Committee this week proposing something a little more adventurous and closer to home.
The group wants to spend a weekend white-water rafting down the Kennebec River in Maine, with the goal of providing "a bonding experience" that's exciting and will be remembered long after graduation.
"We're looking to provide the senior class with a similar experience as they had at Disney," said English teacher Melissa Farmer, speaking on behalf of the students who voted for the trip. "We're looking for something a little more adventurous and active."
The trip is scheduled to take place the weekend of May 29, 2009, with students setting out just as final exams come to a close. Students will travel four hours to Caratunk, Maine, and stay Friday and Saturday nights at the Adventure-Bound, Youth Adventure & Wilderness Resort. According to Farmer, the resort is a "substance-free" facility that is reasonably priced, enabling more of the student body to take part — an important consideration for the seniors who voted for the trip.
"The cost is approximately $260," said Farmer. "Everything is included in the cost — lodging, food, activities, wet suits and equipment. There's a climbing wall and a bunch of things to do while there."
Farmer said the students will adhere to a resort-imposed schedule, reporting to their same-sex cabins by 10 p.m. and observing a rule of "lights out" by midnight. There will be no cars available nor excursions into town allowed, and the wake-up call Saturday morning will come promptly at 6:30 a.m., giving students time to eat breakfast and take part in a safety session to prepare them for the Class 4 raft trip.
"Halfway through the raft, they set up a barbecue," said Farmer. "They watch a video that shows the kids rafting, have dinner, and Sunday we'll have breakfast and depart soon after."
Though School Committee members voted unanimously in support of the trip, they asked the class to look further into the company's safety record and report back to them.
"One of the things I would really like is more on the safety, in particular from some other school groups that have used this," said School Committee member Steven Cole. "You've worked hard these last four years, and I don't want anyone to get hurt."
Cole expressed concern that the trip guaranteed Class 4 white water, which he said included large, unavoidable waves with the power to get a group of novices into trouble — even with an experienced guide.
"In the midst of a raft getting pitched up in the air and tipped over, a guide is just a human — not a superhuman," said Cole. "And they're really limited in what they can do."
Citing his experience rafting the various rivers throughout five states, Committee Member Bruce Menin explained that although a river is rated for Class 4 rapids, this usually only applies to a small section of the river.
"A guarantee of Class 4 rapids could mean you've got 30 seconds of Class 4 rapids," said Menin. "I think this is a really good trip. There are horror stories about rafting and about skiing and about eating McDonald's. You want to find out who the guides are and what their experience is."
Committee Chair John Moak agreed, conditional upon the group compiling additional safety documentation.
"It's a tremendous trip — one of the best family trips we've ever taken," Moak said. "It is a good experience — a good educational experience."
