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This year, PAMS received an award for attending winter camp at Long Lake for 30 years.

Sixth graders from Paynesville first attended winter camp in March 1976. They have returned every year since except 1981-82, though these sixth graders got to go to winter camp as seventh graders in 1982-83.

Long Lake Conservation Camp started its school program in 1972. Over the past five years, it averages more than 60 visits by school groups. Only seven schools - including PAMS - have attended Long Lake Conservation Camp for 30 years.

A group of sixth graders listen to the rules of a prey-predator game at winter camp from a camp counselor. To emulate prey, the students had to hide among the saplings while keeping one eye on the predator.

The director of Long Lake Conservation Camp came to the middle school and proposed bringing students to winter camp, and Paynesville sent a small group of kids - not the entire grade as it does now - the first year, said retired teacher Wayne Hansen, a chaperone that first year when he was teaching sixth grade science, one of his 15 trips to winter camp.

Winter camp did such a good job of teaching conservation and hands-on science that the school decided to go back the next year, said Hansen."The kids came back, they had such a good experience, and they were all excited," Hansen explained. Now students have gone to winter camp for 30 years.

Long Lake Conservation Camp's mission statement is: "Što promote wise use of natural resources and foster proper conservation citizenship by making students aware of the interdependence of humans and the environment."

Sixth graders Jessica Solem, Ben Youngs, Chloe Flannigan, and Ryan Schwandt try their skills at orienteering at winter camp.

Activities for students have changed some in 30 years but also retain some similarities. During the first trip of PAMS students to winter camp in March 1976, they found the Alpha wolf, cooked a wilderness meal with one match, and learned and competed in orienteering, activities still used in 2006.

In addition, students this year had a chance to go snow shoeing and to learn about prey and predators with games like deer browse and quick frozen critters.

During the orienteering races this year, PAMS students and chaperones set four new "world" records at Long Lake Conservation Camp. Sixth graders Megan Ludwig and Reno Nichols set a record as partners on the red course, and sixth grader Jackie Wisted set a solo record on the green course. Chaperones Robin Grey and Mike Putzke each also set an adult course solo record.

Teachers Connie Wimmer and Kim Gulbranson received a 30-year plaque for PAMS before the students and adults headed home on Friday, Jan. 13.

Students were able to take the trip for $30, thanks to a number of donations from local organizations and businesses, said Gulbranson.