Senior students who were elected to take part in a trip to Copenhagen and Berlin last week returned on Saturday. The trip was open to International Baccalaureate Visual Arts and Global Politics students. 

“It was an amazing opportunity to experience life in Europe with my classmates,” senior Audra Dawkins said. “We got to focus on art and history, extending what we are learning in class to the real world,”

The trip was organized by Global Politics teacher Martin Jorgensen and Chair of the Art Department Rachel McIntire. The trip took place over Thanksgiving break — students left San Francisco on Nov. 17. 

“As a Sacred Heart school, international student trips touch on every one of our five goals,” Community Life Chair Michael Buckley said. “Nothing teaches like experience, and being in a new place with its own culture and rhythm is a kind of scholarship,”

Convent & Stuart Hall offers many international trips to students like service based and exchange programs. For example, sophomores travel to Costa Rica, and service trips such as Manila and Mexico City are offered during breaks, according to Buckley. 

“I think the trip is a really cool idea and allows for students to have a better global perspective,” sophomore Jessica Kramer said. “It is really amazing that the school offers these trips to students,”

Students are also invited to explore the possibility of an exchange program and may fill out an application if interested. Applicants must be in good academic standing and obtain recommendations from teachers and administrators, according to C&SH.  

“Attending a high school that has all of these opportunities is really amazing and not many other schools offer it,” Kramer said. “I am definitely interested in taking an exchange trip or attending a service trip because I think it will be really fun and educational,”

Building community is not just an internal task, but extends to meaningful connections outside — even overseas and allows students to build personal responsibility and wisdom, according to Buckley. 

“Having the opportunity to take this trip was really incredible and I am very grateful,” Dawkins said. “Supplementing education outside of the classroom is really important and this trip helped achieve that.”