FernLeaf students have the opportunity to apply and be selected to go on optional travel trips to places like Chicago every year. This optional travel trip to Chicago was in May of 2024. Learn more about FernLeaf's signature programming here.
14 students and 3 staff excitedly piled into a FernLeaf school bus ready to take in the sights and sounds of Chicago! After a quick stop at Chick-fil-A for lunch, everyone worked their way through security at AVL airport and on to the plane. Once in Chicago, we slowly purchased our transit cards (the machine only allowed one purchase at a time!) and navigated the ‘El’ to our destination in River North, Chicago. After getting settled into the hotel we walked to Navy Pier and enjoyed some authentic Chicago deep dish pizza from Giordano's and rode the Centennial Wheel as the sun set behind the Chicago city skyline. Everyone was exhausted after a long day of traveling so we made our way back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.
The next morning we enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast on the mezzanine at the hotel. We celebrated Ahmed’s birthday by surprising him with donuts and balloons. After this we made our way to the Shedd Aquarium by taking the Red line el' to Roosevelt Station and then bus 146 (we are getting good at moving around the city!). We separated into three groups at the aquarium and explored all the different levels and exhibits. Some highlights were seeing the sea otters, beluga whales, sea lions, sharks, turtles and the different exhibits showing what lives in different waters around the world.
Lunch was at a local taco shop and we saw red winged blackbirds everywhere. We also saw one of the local beaches on Lake Michigan and lots of fish in the marina sunning in the shallows. As we finished lunch a big storm pushed through, soaking us all!! We made our way back to the hotel to get dry and then immediately jumped into the pool to get wet again!
The night finished with a trip to Wrigley field to watch the Cubs play the Padres. We weaved through the crowds to find our seats and enjoyed a really close game that the Cubs won in the ninth inning!! It was a late night but one to remember.
By Carter, Gabe, Silas and Harlow.