The Orcas Christian School varsity basketball teams are headed to Walla Walla University to attend the Friendship Tournament from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27. The tournament features 16 boys’ and 16 girls’ teams, from as close as Kirkland to as far as Hagerstown, Maryland, and even including one Canadian team.

While the original purpose of the trip was solely for the basketball tournament, the staff at OCS opened the trip to all students in grades 8 through 12 so they could all experience life on a college campus. While at Walla Walla, the students will stay in the dorms, eat at the dining halls, and take their lessons in college classrooms. As the entire high school staff will be in attendance, the students will gain this valuable college experience without missing lessons.

When asked what they were most looking forward to about the trip, students cited the delicious food in the cafeterias, getting to stay in a college dorm, seeing friends from previous years of the tournament, and getting to play a lot of basketball.