Mid-calf skirts and canvas pants were the trend last spring break for a group of Mormon teens. The annual Plano Stake Trek event requires all attendees to dress up like pioneers and pull around carts to experience what the early Mormon Church did and walk the way their ancestors had.

Trek took place from March 12-14 with teens between 14 and 18-years-old. Junior Maddie Dougherty did Trek for the first time this year and said she was excited for the new experience.

“It’s kind of like camp,” Dougherty said. “I get to be surrounded by wonderful people. It’s really fun to see what the pioneers went through, plus it’ll be a good workout.”

Senior Javier Mendoza said he was expecting to do activities such as singing and dancing.

“We mainly do things that the pioneers used to do,” Mendoza said. “We are just going to be having a good time with those around us.”

It is not an obligation to go on the trip, but according to Mendoza, it was an experience that not many people eligible to go are willing to pass up.

“I’m glad I am able to participate in such an awesome experience and I think it’s a great thing to do with it being so close to the end of my senior year,” Mendoza said. “From what I’ve heard, it’s an unforgettable experience that many people don’t want to miss out on.”

Junior Carson Bateman prepared for a lot of challenges to overcome, especially since he was reaching for the ‘Trail of Faith’ award, which is earned by doing extra things before the actual Trek event — including making their own outfits.

“I made my shirt, pants and a little strap bag,” Bateman said. “I’m not looking forward to taking all of my hard work and putting it through the mud.”

After the event, junior Annika Crandall agreed that the mud was an issue.

“It was really fun, but super muddy,” Crandall said. “”We stay together because it’s simulating a real family. We stay together because it’s simulating a real family. There’s a ‘ma’ and ‘pa’ and then ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ and we all individually have researched an ancestor who we are walking for. So we read their stories to kind of get a glimpse of what adversity they went through.”

During the whole experience, there were no electronics allowed. There were even designated camera people so that each participant has no reason to use their phones or other electronic devices.

“When they say you’re going to experience how the pioneers felt, you’re really going to dive into the past and do what they had to do,” Bateman said.