On Friday, April 24, the senior class visited the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland. Unlike recent years, the Senior Class Officers decided not to go to Cedar Point due to low interest from the student body. Instead, they went to the National Aquarium, Phillips Seafood, took a harbor cruise, and shopped at the Arundel Mills Mall. This was not a guaranteed activity, but this year’s senior class raised enough money to cover the cost of the entire trip.

The day started bright and early as the bus departed West Branch around 6:00 a.m. From there, the bus made a quick stop at Rutters and then headed for the National Aquarium. There, students were able to explore the different exhibits, including the Amazon River Forest, Atlantic Coral Reef, Shark Alley, Dolphin Discovery, Australia’s Wild Extremes, and Upland Tropical Rainforest. They were even able to touch jellyfish and horseshoe crabs along the way. Students were also able to explore the gift shop located within the aquarium. They then made their way to the historic Phillips Seafood, just a short walk from the aquarium. Students had several options to choose from, including a fried seafood trio, Atlantic salmon, crab cake, an Ultimate Burger, and grilled chicken.

After lunch, students boarded a sightseeing cruise that took them through the city’s Inner Harbor. Historic sights along the way included Fort McHenry, the famous Domino Sugar sign, and many notable World War II ships. Their day concluded at the Arundel Mills Mall, located just outside of Baltimore. Students were able to shop around the variety of stores or enjoy a nice dinner at a restaurant. Senior Brielle Bainey commented on the trip, “The senior trip was such a fun experience for our class to hangout before we all go separate ways. I enjoyed the aquarium and being able to see how the animals are getting cared for. I think the experience was super fun and I’m so grateful we have such amazing staff to give us this amazing opportunity.”