My leadership class at Enumclaw Middle School recently went on a field trip to High Point Village. We played bingo and interviewed some of the senior citizens who live there. It was a very calm and quiet atmosphere.

“It was great getting to know everybody,” student Bryce Thompson said after the trip. “It was a great experience,” James Roddy, another student in my class said. “It was really fun and I really enjoyed getting to know them,” Susel Torres, a fellow classmate said.

My favorite part was sitting down and really getting to know the residents.

The residents appeared to really enjoy having some kids to sit down and talk to. I interviewed Paul and Walter. Paul told me he moved to Enumclaw when it was still very small with about 1,500 citizens. He grew up in South Dakota and moved to Enumclaw after military service. He is most proud of being an American and John F. Kennedy is his hero. Walter said he moved to Enumclaw a year ago and he loves the mountains, clouds and horses. He grew up in Switzerland and loves to ski in the mountains there.

I learned that some of the elders really care about kids. I also learned that the residents like to tell kids about stories in their life and that many of them really care about World War II and when it ended. Some other students and I are working on possibly returning sometime and being volunteers. We would like to continue to talk to them and hear more stories from their lives.

Our class would like to say “thanks” to the residents and staff at High Point Village for a great experience.

Makenzie Fong

Eighth grade