On September third and fourth, forms one and three headed to Camp Belknap in New Hampshire for an overnight stay. Students kayaked, tested their aim at the archery range, and competed in games. Afterward, they slept in bunks alongside their fellow advisees and advisors, giving students and faculty a chance to connect outside the usual routines of the day. The trip’s greatest success was the sense of community it sparked. As one first form student put it, “The Camp Belknap trip was a great experience to have at the beginning of the school year. This trip helped build friendships and brotherhood between students.” Whether paddling across the water or trading stories by the fire, the boys of forms one and three returned to campus with stronger bonds and a shared sense of community to carry into the school year ahead.
Forms two and four traveled to Canobie Lake Park in Salem, New Hampshire, on September fourth. The roller coasters, the games, the fried dough, and occasional nausea provided the perfect setting for students to relax and enjoy a day together outside a formal environment. Many boys found the trip especially meaningful because of the chance to connect with new students. One fourth form student reflected, “The Canobie Lake form trip was an awesome way to connect and learn about the new kids in the grade. I got to hang out with both old and new friends and got to know them better while having a blast at the park.” The excitement of the Yankee Cannonball and Turkish Twist mixed with a welcoming environment to bond these two forms, creating new friendships that carried back onto the hill.
Form five spent September fourth in Tewksbury at Action Games Paintball. Divided into teams for multiple rounds, the form V students hid behind trees and cover and had the rare opportunity to fire projectiles at their peers and advisors. The masks added a challenge of their own. “It was a ton of fun playing paintball with my grade,” said one Form 5 student. “It was tough trying to see who was who through the mask, but it definitely helped me bond with my teammates.” Learning to recognize each other by voice, along with the occasional bruise from a paintball to the chest, made for the ultimate bonding experience in a year when the class of 2028 will need each other more than ever.
Form six traveled to Camp Cody in New Hampshire on the third and returned on the fourth, a trip designed to mark the beginning of the senior class’s final year on the hill. The first day was filled with free time, spent in the water tossing a frisbee or playing tennis, basketball, and more. Afterward, the form gathered for contemplative activities and conversations, split into three sections over the two days: what led each student to be who they are today, the present, and a look forward into senior year and beyond. In advisories, the boys created timelines of their lives, then returned to the whole group to discuss what they had learned about themselves and each other. After a break for food, the sixth formers concluded their conversation and rejoined at a bonfire by the water. They shared stories of their five years together, the good and the bad, and grew to know each other on a deeper level. One sixth former reported, “The trip to Camp Cody was for sure a highlight of my Belmont Hill experience. I realized that I know a lot of my peers better than I thought, and became extremely grateful for all of the memories and relationships I have built at this school. I also realized what it means to be a senior this year, and what that role brings.”
