EDMONTON - Balancing in pairs on a giant teeter-totter located on top of a 20-foot pole was just one of the challenges and adventures that met Grade 6 students from Fort Providence and Fort Simpson on their recent trip to Edmonton.

Spencer Bonnetrouge stretches to ring a bell while balancing on a giant teeter-totter about 20 feet in the air. Team building exercises at the YoWoChAs outdoor education centre were the primary focus of the Grade 6 trip to Edmonton. - photo courtesy of Shanna Hagens

Students from Deh Gah school and Bompas elementary school took in some of the activities Edmonton has to offer from Feb. 25 to March 3. The trip was the fourth gathering for the Education through Commitment project that students are participating in this year to help them make the transition from elementary school to junior high.

Leadership and team building were the primary focuses of the trip, said Shanna Hagens, who is leading the project. Students developed the skills during three days at the YoWoChAs outdoor education center.

Team balance was the name of the high rope element that had students working in pairs to walk to either end of a giant teeter-totter where they rang a bell or a triangle to signal their success.

Other students helped hold the ropes that kept the balancers safe if they slipped on the beam located approximately 20 feet in the air.

"It was fun," said Hannah Kotchea.

Being that high in the air on a moving log didn't faze some students. Lonnie Wright, who tried the challenge first, said she wasn't scared.

Other thrills came from the zip-line. Students were clipped onto a metal cable and could slide forwards or backwards depending on their choice.

The 28 students participated in a number of other activities at the centre including low ropes, snowshoe orienteering, quincy hollowing and cross -country skiing.

Other trip highlights included the first stop on Feb. 26 at the Telus World of Science, a hands-on space and science museum. Students spent a day and a night at the centre exploring the exhibits.

"There were lots of things to do. It was cool," said Nikita Larter.

The Lego room proved to be the favourite of many students including Rodney Leader. Inside, an exhibit called Secrets of the Pharaoh included boats, pyramids, pharaohs, a giant sphinx and a sarcophagus all made from Lego, said Leader.

Students also tried hands- on experiments, which included making ice cream using liquid nitrogen and seeing what stomach acid does to a gummy bear.

For their overnight stay the students slept under the big dome of the planetarium. Before going to bed they were entertained by a laser show about the planets and constellations. The stars were left on the dome as the students fell asleep.

"It felt like you were sleeping outside," said Katelyn Harold.

No trip to Edmonton would be complete without taking in an Oilers game and the students did just that on their last night in the city.

Hockey fans were disappointed as they watched the Oilers lose to the Minnesota Wild 5-0.

"It was horrible," said Jared Kotchea.

Kotchea said the Oilers are still winners in his books, but Alex Roche isn't so sure. For Roche the Oilers dropped to second place in his ranking of favorite teams.

"But I still like them," said Roche.

The game was witnessed up close by Ian Keefe and teacher Neil Penny who were given spare tickets for seats right behind the Minnesota bench.

He could see all the line changes, said Keefe. He even got to be on TV briefly when cameras focused on a player being checked against the boards near his seat.

Overall, most of the students agreed that they liked the Edmonton trip so much they would do it again.

"It was fun," said Aaron Grossetete.

The students' next gathering will be a winter camp near the end of the month.