On February 28, Hawthorne Elementary School’s PTO sponsored a Geocaching Night. Students, along with their family members, came back to school that evening with their heavy coats, gloves, and flashlights to learn about geocaching. The presenters were Scott and Brenda Thomas, from Lancaster, and members of the Buckeye Geocachers Society (www.buckeyegeocherssociety.com).
This program was brought to Hawthorne’s attention by a third grade student who has found almost 1,000 caches with his grandmother, all of whom are members of this organization. They explained that geocaching is a free, real-world outdoor treasure hunt, where players try to locate hidden containers known as “geocaches,” by using their smart phones or GPS. After learning about this, attendees divided into groups and searched around the outside of Hawthorne school to locate the temporary geocaches which had been placed there. Fun was had by all. Some of the caches were bucket-like, some were very tiny and hidden behind signs or light poles, and one was disguised like a bird in a tree. The cold and wet evening had a perfect ending, featuring hot chocolate in the cafeteria.