Ex-Ed day: the GOAT

When I first heard that April 14 would be Ex-Ed Day, I was enthralled that I wouldn’t have class. I didn’t really think about what we would be doing–I thought that anything but class would be magnificent to start my week off. Without much expectation, I boarded the van.

The Class of 2028 traveled to the Conococheague Institute. I had previously visited the institute for my stage combat class in the fall term. Frankly, my first experience of Conococheague was far from great. It just seemed like an antique place with wooden cabins from the 1700s. The chilly, windy weather did not help either—everything seemed barren and lonely. 

It was 9 a.m. when all of my classmates and advisers arrived. It took longer than I remembered to drive to the Conococheague Institute. When I saw the schedule, I assumed the ride would consume roughly 15 minutes. In reality, it took 30 minutes for the van to leave with the first group of students at 8 a.m. As I sat in the van with my advisory, the familiar yet different landscape reminded me of driving back home for break. It felt like I had gotten back to my hometown after a long time, despite only a few months having passed. A lot of things had changed, but that wooden cabin right next to the paved road and the playground right next to it were familiar. It reminded me of the not-so-great experience back in the fall term.

We kicked off Ex-Ed Day with a hands-on dive into 18th-century life in south-central Pennsylvania, back when the institute was called the Conococheague Settlement. Besides learning about the region’s history, I spent valuable time with my friends and classmates to experience and just have fun, like we were children again. I laughed with my friends, seeing them dressed in antique red clothes with a red beanie-like hat on. We also watched the adorable goats in the pasture, which kept avoiding our hands when we tried to pet them. Above all else, archery was my favorite. I spent most of Monday practicing, which explains my bleeding red hands. 

However, there was a clear reason we were there, apart from the delight of bonding as a class. The main question for the day was: What kind of a leader do I want to be? The leaders and teachers asked us to observe how the senior leaders, who had come out early in the morning to guide us to Conococheague, supported us. Through appreciation and reflection, I came to see them as role models. My personal goal developed in Ex-Ed Day was to create a space where everyone can have a great time, inspired by student leaders treating freshmen they barely know like their closest friends, helping us get accustomed to Mercersburg Academy. 

Overall, Ex-Ed Day was more enjoyable than I had expected. Although I cannot assume that everyone in 9th grade enjoyed it, I am sure most of us appreciated the time given to us at Conococheague Institute. Personally, it was one of the most memorable times in my freshman year at Mercersburg Academy. I hope people can get to know more about Conococheague Institute, including the upcoming freshmen class, with this new opportunity.