Where does a Florida family go to escape the heat? Freshman Caleb Gray and his family traveled north for the first two weeks of their summer vacation. They went to the Belmont Stakes in Saratoga Springs, they visited Stowe, Vermont, they saw lighthouses in Bar Harbor, Maine, and they saw the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. “We basically just relaxed and enjoyed the scenery,” Caleb said. New England is home to the Adirondack Mountains, the northern tip of the Appalachian Mountain range, and several national parks. “My favorite thing was taking photos with my dad,” Caleb said. “I enjoyed taking photos of the night sky in Vermont the most.” Unlike Florida, Vermont has more opportunities to get an unobstructed view of the night sky because of its lack of big sprawling cities. In order to get these pictures, Caleb and his dad drove up the rode when it got dark and parked at a pull out in the forest. Their only light was that of a small flashlight and they were alone in the middle of the forest. “It was spooky,” Caleb said. Caleb and his family had many adventures like this one on their trip up north. Whether it was watching a bear climb into a dumpster, braving the night for an epic photo or listening to buoy bells on the shores of Maine, they made lasting memories they are sure to cherish forever. Now the summer is unfortunately coming to an end. With only a few weeks left until school starts Caleb had this to say about beginning his first year in high school, “I feel nervous about high school because of all the new people.” Freshman year can be a scary and uncertain time, but it is a great opportunity to meet new people and try new things.