By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
Southwest Covenant’s graduating Patriots discovered the best way to study U.S. history during a unique, life-changing experience that has become a spring tradition for the school.
The 18 members of Southwest Covenant’s Class of 2019 joined some 30 parents and faculty on May 15-21 for a memorable “senior trip” to Massachusetts.
Yukon’s young Patriots spent three days in Boston and three days in Plymouth, Mass.
This was the ninth annual senior trip, which SWCS Secondary Principal Kevin Cobbs called a “farewell challenge” to the graduating seniors.
“We retrace the founding of our country and God’s hand of providence through it all,” Cobbs said. “It’s a way that we try to encourage our seniors that if God can provide for the founding of a country in such a unique way then He can provide for them when they’re off on their own.”
Boston, one of the oldest cities in the United States, was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston.
Upon gaining U.S. independence from Great Britain, Boston was an important port and manufacturing hub, as well as a center for education and culture.
Plymouth holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore and culture. Also one of the oldest municipalities in the U.S., Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims.
Historic sites visited during the SWCS senior trip were: Bunker Hill, Lexington and Concord, the Old North Bridge, Washington’s Headquarters, Harvard University, Plymouth Rock, Corn Hill and Pilgrim Springs.
SWCS Class of 2019 members were: Grace Bailey, Christian Brown, Andrew Cox, Jesse Deason, Mark Ellison, Autumn Ford, Jantzen Griswold, Trevor Kelly, Tristan King, Brandon Leppke, Anna Lessman, Sonny Region, P.J. Riggs, Ainsley Roark, Cole Shaw, Logan Shields, Phoenix Stamp, and Cristian Tadlock.
BONDING OPPORTUNITY
Besides the historic, faith and life lessons learned, Southwest Covenant’s senior trip is a great bonding opportunity for the senior class.
“There’s a lot of free time to go explore Boston,” Cobbs said. “It has a true senior trip feel to it, of fun and excitement.
“But it also has what I hope is intrinsic and eternal value to it as well.”
This year’s senior trip was special for two longtime Southwest Covenant faculty members, retiring sixth grade teacher Faith Braswell and lower elementary teacher Jennifer Stansberry.
“We actually bought their trip as a thank-you for 25 years of service,” Cobbs said. “We also had faculty who are parents of seniors who went, so we had a pretty large group of faculty this year.”
The senior trip has been to Boston and Plymouth since Cobbs came to Southwest Covenant from Christian Heritage Academy in Del City. He was familiar with the area after going to these cities on trips during his senior year of high school and again as a faculty member at Christian Heritage.
When Cobbs came to Southwest Covenant, the seniors had the opportunity to go to Washington D.C., Boston or New York for the senior trip.
With Cobbs directing the trip, Boston/Plymouth have been the annual destinations.
“The trip has taken on a life of its own,” he said. “I already have 58 people signed up to go next year.”
