FBCS students get ready for adventure

SANDPOINT — Not everyone gets to say they spent the night in jail for a class field trip.

Much less one that is potentially haunted.

For Forrest Bird Charter School eighth-graders, the Old Montana State Prison is just one item on a packed itinerary for this summer's end-of-the-year five-night, six-full-loaded day field trip to Yellowstone and the surrounding area.

"I just think it's a great way to bond and meet new people," said Paityn Zimmerman, one of an estimated 30-40 students set to go on the field trip. "I think you can get close with people and I think it's a really fun thing to do."

But the chance to do something fun with her friends and classmates isn't what Zimmerman is looking forward to the most. That would be the prison.

"Definitely spending the night in prison," Zimmerman admitted of what she expects will be her favorite stop on the trip. "Most of the time when you stay the night in prison, it's for a bad cause. But now it's for a good thing," she said, giggling.

Classmate Shea Causey also said he's looking forward to the stop at the old prison, but admitted he wouldn't have minded sleeping in instead of getting up early to help at the breakfast.

For some, like Thomas Esposito, helping included trying to attract people in downtown Sandpoint to stop in for homemade pancakes — for breakfast or lunch. The eighth-grader said he got pretty good at spinning the sign, demonstrating how is spun it behind his back and danced down the sidewalk.

"Basically, you want to attract attention to yourself so that you can direct people to the pancakes," Esposito said.

Like his classmates, Esposito said he was looking forward to the stop at the Old Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. And like the others, he is looking forward to camping, hiking and hanging out with his friends.

"It will be nice to make memories and learn about Yellowstone and some of the history about the area," Esposito said.

In addition to the stop at the Old Montana State Prison, the students will be touring both the northern and southern loops of Yellowstone National Park, panning for gold, and visiting Virginia City and, of course, Old Faithful, FBCS teacher Morgan Allen said.

"We're going to run them until there's no gas left in the tank and it's going to be amazing," she said. "We're going to do some awesome sightseeing, we're going to see lots of wildlife on a couple of different hikes and we're going to stay in the Old Montana State Prison, which I find so awesome."

The trip is so much fun, Allen said she still recalls when she went on one of Forrest Bird's first end-of-the-year trips to Yellowstone when she was a student at the charter school.

"It was one of the most remarkable and fun experiences ever," she said. "When I was giving my maid of honor speech for my best friend, who I met at the charter school in the seventh grade, I actually mentioned it. 'Remember when we spent our first night in prison?' and everyone was going, 'Wait, what?'"

The trip is a once-in-a-lifetime bonding experience with classmates, giving the students a chance to explore, learn and visit places before they head off to high school.

"For some of the kids, this is the biggest trip for them that they've ever done or ever may do," Allen said. "It's providing an opportunity for some great experiences."

Allen said she fondly remembers her own field trip to the park, which has led to lifelong friendships with many of her classmates. Being able to watch her students have the opportunity is "amazing," she added. 

At first, the students weren't sure if they should be excited about the trip, but as it has come closer and as they've gotten closer to their fundraising goals, the trip is now the main topic of conversation. 

Allen said the students and their parents have worked hard all year to raise the funds to go on the trip, selling raffle tickets for a gas card outside area grocery stores, presenting a "Night of the Notables" silent auction and many others. Taking part in Saturday's pancake feast was another of the school's fundraisers, with students tasked with waiving signs outside the Gardenia Center while others inside waited tables, assisted diners, and served stacks of delicious pancakes.