March Madness!

Hospitality House

A group of 10 awesome students made their way to the Hospitality House on Monday, March 9th. There was plenty of work for them to do on this beautiful day and everyone was in great spirits! The group got to do a little of everything, including working in the kitchen and in the garden and it was another helpful day at the Hospitality House.

Humane Society

Fluffy pups and adorable kittens were on the minds on the 12 students that went to the Humane Society on Thursday, March 12th. After taking a look at some of the cute animals that inhabit the Humane Society, students got to work sweeping, mopping, and cleaning up the organization for an event they were holding the next day. Student Zach Holtkamp said he enjoyed getting to pet cats and met the people working at the Humane Society.

Extreme Challenge

Eight courageous students braved the woods of the Greenway during our second Mountain Alliance Extreme Challenge. Two staff members acting as the "hares" laid down a trail for the rest of the group - the "hounds" - to follow, leaving challenges and teamwork activities for them to complete along the way. The group took advantage of this beautiful, sunny day and enjoyed tracking down the two elusive staff members, Jessie and James. 

LIFT Backpacking

The cold, rainy weather didn't stop this strong, energetic group of girls. We ventured out to Grayson Highlands in Virginia to hang out with the ponies and spend a weekend with just the girls. Junior Lucy Edy was a student leader on the trip and helped plan the menu, the route, and the activities that took place during the trip. After spending the spend in the Wise shelter, we hiked along some of the trails, saw a pony, and looped back to the Wise to spend another great night under the shelter. Despite the rain, the group had an amazing time! The sun finally broke through on Sunday morning and we enjoyed a nice, warm hike back to the bus as well as a great final picnic before we came back to Boone. 

Cooking/ Baking

We FINALLY got to do a Cooking/ Baking trip after all of that snowy and icy weather cancelled our other ones. Ten bakers went to Boone Healing Arts Center (who generously donated their space) on March 19th to make some delicious food. Recipes made included a yummy lasagna and some deserts. Students also got to meet Lynn Hill, the manager of the center. 

Backpacking

A group of adventurers made their way into the woods for a weekend of camping and hiking. They spent time in the Wilson Creek area and ran into plenty of other people who had the same idea! The weather was absolutely beautiful which made the creek crossings a little bit nicer. Great views, great people, and great food made this an awesome 3-day trip!

Climbing

Our climbing group was small, but mighty. They spent the day climbing and having a blast at Rocky Face Recreational Area. The easy access to numerous climbs makes this a great spot to bring groups. Everyone had the chance to climb as much as they wanted and the group really pushed themselves as the day went on. What better way to spend a Sunday than climbing outside in great weather with fun, amazing people?

Alpine Tower

The first Alpine Tower of the spring semester was a great success! We started off with the Swing by Choice on which students get to choose how high the rest of the group pulls them up and then, after saying commands, get to swing through the air with the greatest of ease! Students got to learn about the safety aspects of the swing and, which staff supervising and checking to make sure everything was correct, had the opportunity to help each student after them get set up. After swinging to our hearts content, we moved over to the tower and had accomplishment after accomplishment. Students who had never been to the top of the tower before conquered their fears and many students worked together to accomplish some of the more difficult aspects of the tower (including Hattie Cox and Lily McDannold conquering the corporate ladder together). All in all, it was an AWESOME day!

LIFT Horse Helpers

There was plenty to do out at Horse Helpers of the High Country in Zionville on March 26th. Seven girls ready to do service helped out at the organization that rescues abused and abandoned horses and helps them get back on their feet. The group really enjoyed having the opportunity to groom the horses, help out around the organization, and give back to a local non-profit. 

Amazing Race

Are you ready to run around Boone and complete tasks to become the ultimate champion? That is exactly what 14 students did on this semester's Amazing Race trip! After splitting into groups, the students were given a list of tasks that had to be completed before the end of the trip. The group to finish the most tasks OR to complete all of the tasks first was crowned the winner!

Banff Mountain Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is one of the biggest and most beloved events in Boone! Each year we take a group of students on both nights of the film festival to watch outdoor and cultural films from around the world. They are films that inspire exploration and adventure and that make you want to get outside. Every year, students get to shoot shirts and hats off of the stage before the start of the show. Their efforts this year were fantastic, with several items getting up to the elusive balcony level. Both groups had a great time!

January and February Update!

LIFT Caving

The first LIFT trip of the spring semester was a great hit! A group of awesome ladies went exploring in the cave and had a great time. We took our time as we made our way through the cave, checking out all of the nooks and crannies. The group made its way to the Railroad Passage - a really cool section of the cave that we don't always have time to get to. Great conversations and great company kept the group in high spirits the whole day. What a great way to start off the semester!

80s Workout Day

This was a fun new trip where we all put on our best 80's workout outfits and danced to great 80's songs. We followed some of the trip leaders as they demonstrated very 80's style dance moves, then we got into groups and made up our own workout dances to our choice of 80's song. Overall, I think we all had a blast - and got a great workout by the end of it! I learned some great 80's workout dance moves! I would say that the most memorable thing was how each person or group presented the dance they had made up. Some presentations were hilarious, especially the one the trip leaders put together. I think they should start an 80's workout class together. I also managed to make up a dance to "Eye of the Tiger" with a group! --Lucy Edy, junior

App Ski Mountain 

We took a total of 3 trips to App Ski Mountain in January and February. On each of the trips, students had the option of taking a lesson before shredding up the slopes. Throughout our trips, we had brand new skiers and snowboarders as well as old pros. Each of the groups had a blast both in the lodge and on the slopes. "I really enjoyed getting to know everyone on the trips," says Zach Holtkamp, sophomore. "We had a blast shredding the gnar."

Restoration Project

Some awesome members of the High Country community joined us to learn about why Hardin Creek needs our help and how we can start to go about making an impact. After doing a few experiments, the students came back into the MA classroom to learn about the rain gardens that will be installed at the high school to collect run off and prevent it from entering the stream. Junior Emma Gummerson said that she learned more on that trip than in some past classes!

Caving 

This was a very fun trip that allowed me to experience Worley's while learning more about the cave. I also met people I didn't know before - a lot of cool people in the Mountain Alliance community, namely Maddie. I learned how to help people in the cave by bracing their feet with your hands so they don't slide. I think the most memorable part of the trip was swimming in the cave with Max. I accomplished my goal of being able to help people in the cave. -- Zach Holtkamp, sophomore

Hospitality House

An awesome group of students went on our monthly Hospitality House trip, serving food and helping around the Hospitality House. Before they left the high school, students learned about the different programs the Hospitality House has to offer including their emergency shelter, transitional and family housing, permanent housing, community kitchen, and food box programs. They also got to make "Can Creations" with the many cans they brought with them to donate.