Submitted photo A group of 26 Minneota High School seniors and four chaperones enjoyed a four-day senior class trip to Colorado this spring. The district plans to offer the same trip to future senior classes.

MINNEOTA — The 2022 senior class trip for Minneota High School involved reaching new heights in more ways than one.

A group of 26 seniors and four chaperones journeyed to Colorado in March for four days of sightseeing. Students made the trip possible through extensive fundraising during the school year.

In a group interview, students Ellen Meagher, Abby Frie, Ava Larson, Summer Hennen and Mckenna Yost described their class trip experience. They consider it a highlight of their high school years.

“There was no quiet period during the trip,” Larson said. “We had four very busy days. We saw a lot of Colorado in a short time.”

Their schedule included stops at Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Pike’s Peak and Garden of the Gods. They stayed overnight at hotel accommodations in Denver, and saw some of the city’s attractions.

“I enjoyed all of the stops,” Hennen said. “We especially liked hiking in the mountains. It’s a beautiful landscape. It was great to see it with my class.”

The 2022 trip was patterned after what had been planned by the class of 2020. The students successfully completed all of their planning and fundraising, only to have their plans canceled because of the start of the COVID pandemic.

Class members considered a trip to Minneapolis for 2022, but were concerned that COVID might still impact some of what they’d have wanted to do in the Twin Cities. Instead they opted for Colorado, where many of their adventures would take place outdoors.

“We took the plans from two years ago and made them our own,” Meagher said. “We set our sights on Colorado. It took a lot of work to raise the money, but the trip was worth it. It was even better than we’d imagined.”

Student fund raising activities included bracelet sales and concessions at sports events. They benefited from a donation from Minneota’s Universal Forest Products, along with several donations from parents.

The class was also able to use the airline ticket vouchers that were given to the class of 2020. They flew to Denver from Minneapolis.

“I liked the big attractions, and also the chance to spend time with members of my class,” Yost said. “When we got back to the hotel in the evenings we’d stay busy with swimming and card games.”

Frie said the trip was a good way to round out the many opportunities class members have had during their high school careers.

“I became better friends with some of my classmates because of the trip,” she said. “It’s good that we had a chance to take a vacation together before we graduate and move on.”

Minneota history teacher Jessica Rosa, who served as the senior trip adviser, said the school district plans to continue the Colorado trip each spring for future classes.

She said the goal of the overnight trip opportunity is to give seniors an experience that they’ll remember throughout their lives.

“It was the first chance for some of our students to see mountains,” Rosa said. “They learn during the trip, and also because of all the preparations and fundraising. The class showed a lot of responsibility.”