Last week, grade 4 students made their annual trek to Coloma, gaining insight into the lives of Gold Rush-era miners as they “made cornbread, did some old-fashioned laundry, made shelters and bartered at the general store,” reported Kristin Giammona, elementary division head. Naturally, the students also learned how to pan for gold, and some even managed to turn up gold flakes. Students finished the bulk of their first day activities in time to find cover from the rain and enjoy a brief hoedown and campfire chat. Coloma’s abundance of wonderful scenery was a real treat for the students, who hiked the Monroe Ridge and learned about the history of the area and how mining affected its environment and native population.