Every year, to celebrate all of our accomplishments over the last ten months of blood, sweat and tears, Day Creek students spend a single day at an amusement park.  In the past, sixth graders have enjoyed John’s Incredible Pizza, seventh graders have visited Scandia, and finally, eighth graders have toured The Happiest Place on Earth: Disneyland.  Well, let me tell you, Day Creek Intermediate was the opposite of “The Happiest Place on Earth” when seventh and eighth graders learned that they were no longer going to Scandia or Disneyland.  Yes, instead of going to either of these amusement parks, seventh graders are now going to Skate Express and eighth graders will be hanging out at Knott’s Berry Farm.

Let’s start with Skate Express.  To celebrate a whole year of work: solving unnecessarily complex math equations, reading ancient Shakespearean passages, and writing very long, opinionated articles, seventh graders get to attend a skate park.  Whoopee!  I assure you, almost 90% of the student population (me included) do not even know how to strap on a roller blade or skate, and stand up, let alone move.  We will be clinging to the walls for dear life, yelling for our mommies to pick us up, while maybe 20 students (probably ice skaters) are actually skating.  Sounds like a fun way to party after a year of exertion, doesn’t it?  

When my tenth grade brother attended Day Creek, they went to Scandia for their seventh grade end-of-the-year field trip.  And while Scandia may not be the greatest or largest amusement park in the world, it’s definitely an upgrade over Skate Express.  Heck, I’m pretty sure half of my class is going to “have tummy-aches” that day, ditch school, and just go to Disneyland instead.  So, if you don’t see me on May 22nd, just know that I was rolling around on the floor, pretty much dying from stomach pains.  I am DEFINITELY NOT at Disneyland with all of my friends, screaming on Splash Mountain.

Now for eighth graders.  You may be thinking, “Knott’s Berry Farm doesn’t sound that bad.”  First off, although Knott’s Berry Farm may have a couple of exciting rides (Xcelerator, Supreme Scream and Silver Bullet), it is no Disneyland.  Knott’s is not the happiest place on Earth. Athletes do not visit Knott’s after a championship win.  Have you ever heard Tom Brady yell “I’m going to Knott’s!” after a comeback Super Bowl championship win?  Me neither.  Long story short: Knott’s can never live up to the fantasy that is Disneyland.

And, secondly, it wouldn’t be so bad if Renaissance students (GPA’s of 3.6 or above) had not already attend this amusement park to celebrate great grades.  They recently visited Knott’s: screamed their heads off on Xcelerator, almost died on Supreme Scream, and dragged their friend onto Silver Bullet.  Yes, it was fun, but they don’t want to do it again.  

This year, through Journalism, I’ve argued about a lot of different topics, from Disney princesses to participation trophies to Spotify.  But this may be one of the least comprehensible of them all.  While there are money issues involved with going to Scandia or Disneyland, can we seriously not do better than Skate Express and Knott’s Berry Farm?  Take us sledding in the mountains.  Go to Six Flags (that’s half the cost of Disneyland).  Even take us out to Victoria Gardens for lunch and a movie.  Just, please, change the current system and let us go somewhere better than Skate Express and Knott’s Berry Farm. We beg you.