By: Ruby Bennett

   The Grand Canyon, Lowell Observatory, a tour of NAU, and even lava tubes: the sophomore trip was fun for all who attended! 

   On April 23, the sophomores took a three hour bus ride to Flagstaff, where they enjoyed numerous Arizona landmarks. 

   They started off the trip in Bearizona, a wildlife park containing all different kinds of animals including otters, foxes, deer, mules, and, of course, bears. There the students were able to observe different animals in their natural habitat.

   From there the sophomores continued to a ride on Canyon Coasters, a small scenic roller coaster that gave them a great view of their surroundings. 

   Finally, the sophomores reached one of the main highlights of their trip: the Grand Canyon. One of the world’s seven natural wonders, the canyon extends 277 miles long and at some points spans 18 miles wide. “The Canyon itself was really interesting and felt like a real life painting,” says sophomore Ray Acosta.The students got to spend a couple hours viewing the canyon and exploring nearby shops. 

   Seeing the lava tubes was also quite fun for the sophomores! “You get to a big hole and then you start going down… sort of like climbing down the side of the mountain…When you get to the bottom of that, it flattens out a bit, and although it’s still rocky underneath, there is ice in several places. You go down this tunnel for a very long way,” explains sophomore Sanner Bennett. This was her favorite part of the trip, and she says, “It was one of the coolest natural phenomena I’ve ever seen.”

   The group also visited the Lowell Observatory, which has several astronomy exhibits and telescopes. One of the main sights to see there is the Pluto Dome, which houses the Pluto Discovery Telescope.

   Last but not least, the sophomores took a guided tour of Northern Arizona University to give them an idea of what the college is like.

   Overall, the sophomore trip was an elaborate and interesting experience.