At North Hollywood High School, Highly Gifted Magnet students are celebrating their annual senior field trip at Yosemite National Park where they explored nature and participated in numerous outdoor activities.

Yosemite Park is located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. It is famous for its beautiful waterfalls, granite monoliths, deep valleys, and ancient sequoia trees, making it a legendary California landmark.

During the week-long trip, HGM seniors did various activities inclusive of hiking, cycling, and sightseeing the beautiful scenery of the giant mountains, along with towering sequoia trees.

The trip was meant to be amusing and educational HGM coordinator Mr. Bradbury stated, “Every year seniors take this field trip and the purpose is to learn about different aspects of the park such as the biology, hydrology, and the different rock and mineral formation. They also got to go on fun hikes every day, learn, and sightsee.” 

As a congratulatory gift, HGM held this trip as a final thank you and goodbye to the graduating senior class to mark the end of the year. HGM senior Gabriel Barcelona commented “It was a celebration of all the hard work and a good way to bond with people we probably won’t see again. It’s also a core memory with our friends.”

                  The trip consisted of three full days of entertainment with the first and last days considered travel days that lasted from Sunday to Thursday. After everyone arrived and got settled into their cabins, the next few days were filled with endless amusement.

 HGM senior Minami Hokugo mentioned “At Yosemite, we went on hikes, biking, on midnight walks, made s’mores at a campfire, and got food together. We went on hikes to Yosemite Falls and biked with our friends on the second day and then went to Yosemite Lodge.”

HGM senior Laura Torres explained “The first full day (Monday) we hiked Yosemite Falls and that took all day. The next day was free and I rented a bike and explored around. Wednesday was a hike to Vernal Falls and then Nevada Falls and we had a bonfire at night.”

The main activity each day was hiking for several hours through the trails to see the spectacular Yosemite waterfalls. Seniors hiked during the day and at night as they ventured to Yosemite Falls, Nevada Falls, Mist Trail, and lakes.

Even though the mile-long hike was physically tiring, the view of the waterfalls was deemed to be worth the effort.

Torres stated her experience “My least favorite was probably coming down from the hikes. It was all fun and dandy when going up but the walk down was kinda just trudging along, but it made for some very strong bonds between friends.”

A memorable part of the hike was Mist Trail where seniors climbed up and took pictures at a spot near the waterfalls which continued towards Nevada Falls.

             HGM senior Michelle Dorn commented, “The part I liked the most was the hike up to the last waterfall because there was a section where the waterfall sprayed and if you looked in, you could see a rainbow. It was fun to look in with my friends.”

             Another main activity was riding bicycles around the trails while being endorsed in nature. Seniors rode around to see the giant sequoia trees, enormous mountains, and serene lakes. It allowed them time to relax as they traveled around exploring with their friends.

              During the nighttime, there was a bonfire where seniors gathered around cooking s’mores and singing songs which formed new memories.

 Some seniors also went for late-night walks and stargazing in the clear skies such as senior Barcelona mentioned, “I went stargazing late at night with my friends and talked about everything in life while taking in all the nature.” 

             The last day of the trip ended on May 18, 2023, when seniors were packing up to return home after many days of fun. Many new bonds and memories were created during this trip as seniors enjoyed the experience of their last year.

           Barcelona commented, “It was an amazing trip and I had a lot of fun. It was tiring physically, but I’m glad I went on all the hikes. It was nice going to the bonfire and singing with friends before the next chapter of our lives.”            

 In addition, Torres commented on her experience, “The trip overall is something I’ll never forget. It helped to solidify bonds with my friends that I know will last a lifetime. It was an amazing experience. I would do it again, maybe with more training beforehand.”

           After getting through exhausting hikes and spending time with friends surrounded by nature, this Yosemite trip was a memorable experience that many HGM seniors were enthusiastic about having. It allowed seniors to relax and bond with each other as a way to commemorate their last year and academic dedication throughout the years.