Some students choose to spend their spring break catching up on their favorite TV series or going to the mall, but for some, the invitation to spend break walking through the streets of London and visiting world-famous landmarks is too good an opportunity to pass up. To give students a chance to experience the cultures and history of various countries across Europe, Law I/II and AP Government teacher Frederick Delello will resume his annual spring break trip after five years of being delayed due to the pandemic. The trip will take 20 juniors and seniors to London and Scotland from March 21 through March 29 and will visit many of the most notable landmarks and attractions.
“We will be touring all the sites of London and visiting Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, and many other major sites, as well as Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, which was the home of Henry the VIII, and Shakespeare’s home. We will be seeing a Shakespeare play, Oxford University, and Ember Castle in Scotland,” Delello said.
This international trip has been a tradition since 2007, except for the years in quarantine. Each trip has been arranged and run by Delello, except for the year 2009 when another teacher organized the trip. Delello values the social and educational benefits the students get from taking part in the trip.
“The purpose is to give the student an opportunity to explore other parts of the world, and to have time for students and teachers to travel together and build relationships, as well as learn about different places and cultures,” Delello said.
Stephanie Ellis, who teaches Ceramics and Sculpture/3D design, will be the additional chaperone alongside Delello. Ellis has previously chaperoned for one pre-pandemic trip to France and Italy and has been looking forward to participating again.
“I already have a list of museums I want to see in London. It’s an amazing experience traveling to a different continent with different foods and a different way of living. The tours we go on are amazing, we can see different museums and tourist attractions all included. The students also get some free time. When we went to Italy, the students got a chance to wander around Rome,” Ellis said.
The trip excites the students who signed up in late fall. Junior Cate Liu, one of the students who will be taking the trip in March, has a variety of reasons why she chose to sign up.
“I’ve always wanted to go to England and Scotland and thought that it would be a great opportunity to see a part of the world that I’ve always wanted to see. I’m most excited to see Windsor Castle because it is a big historic structure,” Liu said.
Delello believes the trip lights a spark in cultural interest in students, introducing them to new lifestyles and the various opportunities of studying abroad.
“Students going on trips abroad with other students is a great opportunity to learn about other countries and cultures, but also students who have traveled before are more open to studying abroad. Many students who have done these trips do semesters abroad when they go to college,” Delello said.
Many students are already considering taking courses outside of the US.
“I’m really interested in the prospect of studying abroad because my parents did it and I want to follow in their footsteps and experience other countries’ cultures. Currently, I’m thinking about studying abroad in Italy or Greece,” Liu said.
The spring break trip has been an excellent social and cultural experience offered by the school, and students and teachers alike have awaited its return. Delello plans to continue to sponsor it annually, and although he has not made a decision yet, he has been considering the details of next year’s trip.