It’s that time of year again when the anxiety about the school year coming to a close is becoming more and more real, but the anticipation of summer gives the BSM community time to plan life-changing vacations.

Some students like to stay home over summer vacation, relax, hang out with friends, and enjoy the beauty of a Minnesota summer. Some like to work and save up money for the school year, some participate in sports or church activities. Some students like to travel and enjoy all that our country has to offer.

Sophomore Claudia Elsenbast, an outdoorsy and venturesome BSM student, plans to go to a camp on the islands of Washington state called Orkila for two weeks this summer.

A day at Camp Orkila involves sea kayaking, camping overnight on the San Juan Islands, and spending time at the active base camp. Campers have daring opportunities at Camp Orkila such as riding Orkila’s Giant’s Swing and zip lining.

The older campers––going into 8th through 10th grade––also take on a leadership role with younger campers; this oldest group of campers enjoy 24 hours on Satellite Island or at Twin Lakes for their out-of-cabin experience. “My older sister Sophie Elsenbast attended the camp two summers ago, and she really enjoyed it, so I thought why not go? I love Seattle, and I’m super excited to see what this camp has in store for me,” Elsenbast said.

While Elsenbast takes on an amazing trip to the islands, sophomore Frankie Vochko has a little bit of a different adventure planned: hiking in the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan. The Porcupine Mountains hold 87 miles worth of hiking trails that are known to be some of the most strikingly beautiful footpaths in the midwest.

The qualities of the trails are an ideal destination for hikers of all skill levels because they offer so many diverse hiking options. The Lake Superior shoreline at the foot of the mountains is over 21 miles long and a popular camping destination for all hikers.

A successful hiking trip requires a lot of planning. “We plan to start by hiking from the bottom of the mountain and making our way to the top, and then back down again, while all the time camping at a few base camps along the way,” Vochko said. It takes a day to drive there and a day to drive back, so the trip itself is four days.

No matter what kind of trip or vacation students venture on, students will come back with new perspectives and skills to inspire and shape the way the BSM community comes together as a school.