Developing creative ways for students to learn outside of the classroom is something that history teacher Shane Fairbanks has tried to do for his students during his time at Billings Central. In past years, Fairbanks has taken his Western Civilization class (a college-level course available to Central seniors) on a paintball field trip, but this year, he offered the trip to all of his juniors as well. Fairbanks created this field trip opportunity for his students, so they could gather a greater understanding of the intensity and brutality of a war-like situation.
Senior Lucy Meling has taken multiple courses from Fairbanks and has witnessed first-hand how he develops a positive and creative learning environment. The paintball field trip was no exception. Meling said, “I enjoyed the paintball trip, because it was a great bonding experience for me and my classmates.” In addition to making memories with her classmates, she added that the trip allowed her to learn and grasp a better understanding of war-like situations. She said, “The paintball trip helped me learn how brutal and self-sacrificial war was and how hard it would be to survive.”
The trip was another avenue for students to learn outside of taking notes in a classroom. Meling said, “To be able to see something firsthand really makes it more real and helps you get a glimpse into what that experience was like.”
