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Seventy-three sixth graders - together with eight brave, adult chaperones - started out on a snowy Wednesday, Jan. 12, for our much-anticipated trip to Long Lake Conservation Camp near Palisade, Minn. We all celebrated the snowfall as we boarded the buses. Our snow dances had actually worked!

Sixth graders from PAMS ventured to winter camp at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minn., again this year from Wednesday to Friday, Jan. 12-14. One of the outdoor activities was the wilderness meal, where students had to build a fire, cook a meal, and eat all their food. Pictured in this group, clockwise from lower left, are Mitchell Mead, Brock Domm, Kelli Fuchs, Lance Liedman, Trevor Gilbertson, Emily Magedanz, Jenna Kincaide, Amritt Schmitt, and Jessica Jimenez.

On our arrival at the camp, we were met by the very friendly and helpful staff who settled us into our rooms and got us outside with winter games and classes. We did so many thingsÉwe cooked an outdoor meal on fire, we did a CSI-crime lab to determine who was responsible for the death of Mr. Rabbit, we worked as teams browsing as deer do while those adult chaperones turned into nasty wolves prowling around and trying to catch us!

It was a fast-paced, fun-packed three-day outdoor adventure. We learned not only to survive the wilderness but to survive a bit of homesickness. It was great fun. Now we know why a lot of older kids still talk about their sixth grade winter camp trip.