Junior Keely Sullivan couldn’t stop staring at the beautiful view in front of her. She was in Toledo, a city in central Spain on a school trip to Europe. The stunning hills that made a picture-perfect view and the warmth of the locals was something that Sullivan says she won’t forget easily.

International school trips are something that SHS teachers have planned almost every year and any students interested and with the means can go on the trips. 

On her trip, the pretty views and nice locals weren’t the only things that Sullivan found meaningful. The different cultures she experienced and the different people she met were also something that she fondly remembers because they opened her worldview. 

“I learned a lot about other cultures and how other people lived,” Sullivan said, “I also learned about the history of the two cities.”

Sophomore Isabella Smith, another traveler with the school, agrees with her. Smith went to the same Europe trip with Sullivan.

“I got to see the way people in different places lived,” Smith said. “It helped give a perspective of the differences between American and European countries.”

Another thing that students can gain from these trips is a love for something new and unique compared to home. Senior Dane Latinovich developed his love for nature during his visit to Costa Rica in his sophomore year. When they were in the mountains, he was approached by a wild macaw.

New opportunities for school trips will begin in spring break of 2021. Foreign language teacher Conner McNeely is spearheading his second group to Costa Rica. The purposes of thetrip are to expose SHS students to other cultures and add depth to their knowledge of the outside world. 

Traveling around the world can be expensive and stressful. An advantage of going with the school is that it minimizes the cost of traveling for students, making the trip more cost-effective, especially in the face of a changing market.

“It’s much cheaper now than it will be in the future,” McNeely said. “It just keeps on getting expensive, and if you do it now, you get to experience it with your friends and have more fun.” 

Although the cost is much cheaper than traveling solo, it can still be a concern for some students and their families. Some trips can cost up to $3,000. However, there are ways to make the trip more affordable. 

Despite the fact that the trips are not until March 2021,  McNeely are already looking for students who might want to attend. Students who are interested in either trip are advised to talk to either teacher. 

Senior Tre Morris is another student who has been involved in school travel. He strongly encourages fellow classmates to go. 

“I went to Paris, Switzerland and Germany,” Morris said. “It was a great experience, and I would recommend anyone else to do it.”