This week, the administration published a list of trips around the world for the 24-25 school year. These trips mostly take place on spring and winter break. Destinations includingChina, the Philippines, Germany, and Spain. All of these trips require an application, with around half being due at the end of September.
“The trip that sounds most interesting to me would be to Spain because I’ve never had the chance to go and I would really like to learn more about the culture and their way of life,” sophomore Sophie Fluhr said. “I take French in school, so I would also want to learn a bit of Spanish along the way,”
The highly anticipated sophomore Costa Rica trip in Jan. is on the list as well, which is a time for the sophomore class to connect, help the community through service projects, and have fun on the beautiful island. In Jan., the class of 2027 will spend a week in Costa Rica, an annual trip for sophomores, with different teachers chaperoning each time.
“I absolutely loved Costa Rica last year,” junior Abby Chacon Lara said. “My highlight was white water rafting, and the island was so beautiful and picturesque. My experience in Costa Rica has probably been my favorite of high school so far; I have nothing but good memories,”
Each of the trips this year are led by a set of faculty members who take initiative to plan travel opportunities for students. While certain trips happen every year, others are executed when faculty members have an idea and go to the administration to make it happen, according to ethics and religion teacher Clint Hackenburg.
“The trips get pitched by teachers in small groups to administration, sometimes academic trips and sometimes service based,” Hackenburg said. “ To be accepted, I think it is important for students to write a convincing application and have sincere motivations on why they want to go,”
Most of the trips take place across a week, where a specific itinerary is outlined, packed with exciting activities and cultural immersion. One of the benefits of these trips is that they take place when school is not in session, giving students all the more reason to sign up and spend their break from school in a new place. Especially for students who might not travel much, these trips can be an impactful exposure to different cultures and ways of life, according to Fluhr.
“Overall the trips are really beneficial for learning, and they also seem like such a fun way to spend a break from school,” Fluhr said. “I am so excited to hear about the trips and maybe even go on one myself”
