Subscribe Love

Local youth get a feel for pioneer life

by | Mar 17, 2016 | Education

By Nancy Whitney

Staff Writer

[email protected]

Local youth got a taste of life in pioneer times last week when they walked 10 miles during a historical reenactment of the early pioneers trek across the plains.

The event, sponsored by the Richardson Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was organized to give youth a chance to see what it was like to travel from the East Coast to the West Coast to escape religious persecution.

Due to the rain storms that passed through the region last week, their planned 20 to 25 mile trek turned into 10 miles.

Participants from grade 9-12 were separated into groups called “families” for the trek. Wearing garb fashioned like those during that period of time, they made their way through trails at Lake Ray Roberts State Park.

“We had about 200 youth from the surrounding area,” Carrie McMurdie said. “The hope was that our youth would gain a greater appreciation for the things they have and are blessed with, the modern conveniences.”

15 year-old participant Madison Harbison said the event is held about every four years.

“I was kind of dreading it at first because it is a long way to walk,” she said. “But I really enjoyed every minute of it.”

Madison said she learned a lot from the experience about what pioneers went through to travel such distances, including the struggle to keep their items in the handcart as they pulled it along.

“At one point things just continued to fall out of my cart,” she said. “After my “family” had helped me pick everything up for the fourth time we said a little prayer and after that not one thing fell out. I truly believe it was because we decided to say that prayer.”

For full story see the Murphy Monitor at http://www.etypeservices.com/Murphy%20MonitorID247/default.aspx

Pioneer trek participants pushed through rain and muddy waters as they reenacted a 10 mile trek from many years ago. The youth pioneers pushed approximately 500 pounds on a hand cart as they traveled the trails at Lake Ray Roberts State Park. Pictured, from left, are Carlos Garza, Joe Muir, Ryan Rigby, Breanna Taylor and Sarah Porter.

Pioneer trek participants pushed through rain and muddy waters as they reenacted a 10 mile trek from many years ago. The youth pioneers pushed approximately 500 pounds on a hand cart as they traveled the trails at Lake Ray Roberts State Park. Pictured, from left, are Carlos Garza, Joe Muir, Ryan Rigby, Breanna Taylor and Sarah Porter.

0 Comments

Public Notice - Subscribe

Related News

Plano may buy PISD school sites

Plano may buy PISD school sites

Armstrong Middle School is one of three surplus school sites which the city of Plano could purchase for Plano ISD. Courtesy PISD The Plano ISD Board of Trustees has approved an agreement under which the city of Plano could purchase three surplus school sites:...

read more
District approves land purchase

District approves land purchase

Wylie ISD trustees approved the purchase of a small parcel of land during its meeting on Monday, Oct. 28. The purchase should improve traffic flow for the upcoming intermediate and junior high campuses set to open in two years. The board sanctioned the acquisition of...

read more
Witches!? In Wylie ?!

Witches!? In Wylie ?!

The cast and crew are putting the final touches on the play “Witches? In Salem?” Performances will be at Wylie High School Oct. 11 -12. A Wylie Theatre witch hunt is in the works for the program’s fall show. The students will perform “Witches!? In Salem?!” Friday,...

read more
School accountability grades still blocked

School accountability grades still blocked

An Austin judge has continued the court order blocking the Texas Education Agency (TEA) from releasing its A-F accountability ratings for public schools. Travis County Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle scheduled a trial in February on the suit filed by five independent...

read more
Trustee election for WISD cancelled

Trustee election for WISD cancelled

Howard, Reising, Kennon to fill seats The bi-annual trustee election originally scheduled for Nov. 5 for Wylie Independent School District was officially cancelled last week. Since each of the places up for election did not have two or more candidates, the district...

read more
B.I.G. Feed fights food insecurity in schools

B.I.G. Feed fights food insecurity in schools

Volunteers pack up weekend food for students at Amazing Grace Food Pantry as part of the B.I.G. Feed program. Courtesy photo Driven by the urgent need to address students’ weekend hunger, the B.I.G. Feed initiative at Wylie United Methodist Church has been quietly...

read more
WISD adopts tax rate for 2024-25

WISD adopts tax rate for 2024-25

With no meeting in July, Wylie ISD trustees took care of some required business and heard educational updates, including the current status of STAAR scores. Items on the Monday, Aug. 19, agenda included adopting a tax rate for maintenance and operations (M&O), as...

read more
Public Notice - Subscribe