Traveling over spring break are students from the following classes;
1) The Evolution of London Senior Seminar is going to England. Led by Kerry Sheppard who teaches ‘The Evolution of London,’ and accompanied by Christy Turnbow our Athletic Trainer, they will examine the historical and contemporary manifestations of London’s culture— political, religious, and ideological shifts– as depicted in literature (fiction and nonfiction) and film.
2) Dan Brown is taking his AP Comparative Government class to Ireland. The trip will travel to Dublin, Ireland, and Belfast, Northern Ireland. The emphasis will be on key themes of AP Comparative Government including the functioning of Parliamentary Governments, Coordination between supranational organizations (European Union) with non-member Nations (United Kingdom), as well as the theme of Political Cleavages as represented in Northern Ireland’s “Troubles”. The trip will include not only visiting historic sites and government buildings but will enable students to engage in Q and A with politicians as well as participants in critical political events. David Bortz will also attend as a chaperone.
3) David Barnes is taking students to Panama. Students will spend 9 days exploring the history, engineering, ecology, conservation, culture and language in Panama. In Panama City students will take a bike tour of the city and visit the historic sites of Panama Viejo and Casco Viejo, and they will take an in-depth look at the Panama Canal. Students will travel to the Chirqui Region where they will visit a honey farm and a butterfly sanctuary and learn about wildlife and botany while enjoying hanging bridges and zip lines. Students next travel to Chitre to take part in a la junta de embarre, a traditional mud hut building ceremony. Students will learn more about Panama’s flora and fauna at the Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge. We will finish the adventure with a folklore evening filled with traditional food, song, and dance.
4) Ruth Bradner is taking students to Costa Rica. The immersion of students in the Spanish language and culture of Central America will enable them to become more proficient linguistically and understand the richness of diverse cultures. In addition, students will make meaningful connections based on knowledge from their science classes.
The eight-day educational trip will provide students the unique opportunity to explore and observe different ecosystems and conversation efforts in four provinces in Costa Rica. The areas to be
visited are Guanacaste, Arenal, Sarapiqui, and San José. The tour includes participation in cultural activities (cuisine lessons, speaking with locals, interacting with students at a high school, making crafts, etc.) and visits to rainforests, sustainable farms, local markets, thermal springs, lakes, rivers, and a pineapple plantation.
5) Robinette Cross is taking students to Morocco. The “Gender and Culture in the Middle East and North Africa” (MENA) Senior Seminar explores the elements and evolution of cultures in the ENA region in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Morocco provides an excellent cultural pivot point by joining east and west; traditional and non-traditional; and allows students to explore a cultural amalgamation that is unique and shaped by geography, religion, and colonial experience. This will be the fourth successful Morocco trip led by Ms. Cross.
Bring back lots of pictures.! We look forward to hearing about your adventures.
