This year, the hike featured a new twist: a cross-curricular postcard project that combined creative observation with purposeful writing. In the days leading up to the trip, third graders prepared in art class by studying the work of environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy and creating mandalas in the pollinator garden using natural materials. This activity helped them build the observational skills they later used on the hike, where they paused at the summit to sketch the mountain landscape for a personal postcard, guided by Art Teacher Ms. Sarah Baldwin.

Back at school, the third graders watercolor-painted their summit sketches in art, then shifted to writing in their classrooms. As part of a friendly letter-writing unit introduced at the start of the year, they learned how to craft personal messages using all the key components of a letter—date, greeting, body, closing, and signature. The unit focused on real-life writing skills and explored different reasons people write letters, such as to thank, inform, connect, or ask questions. Some students wrote to family members or buddies, while others sent thoughtful thank-you notes to hike chaperones. Once finished, they were encouraged to address and mail their postcards—putting both their communication skills and classroom learning into action in a meaningful, real-world way.

The postcard project added a creative and personal element to a long-standing Graland tradition—expanding how students express their learning across subjects and deepening their connection to the experience.