Exeter to Lead Spring Break Trips
Over spring break, Exeter is offering multiple global academic and athletic trips. About 165 Exonians will be attending sports training sessions in Florida, an outdoor program in Utah with NOLS, a history trip in Nashville, a classical languages trip in Rome or a history trip in Cuba.
For the non-athletic trips, students completed an application process run by each program director, and according to Director of Exeter’s Global Initiatives Eimer Page, some were “very competitive.” She said financial aid was available for all eight trips, and many students are receiving some support from Exeter to attend.
“We all stay together and do hard mental and physical team activities that bring everyone together.”
Exonians will be flying to Rome, Italy, with the classical languages department to experience the culture, language and city of Rome in person. The group of students will explore sites and ancient ruins. Expecting an educational and eye-opening opportunity, upper Efia Nuako picked this trip to Rome because she can see the places they have read about in Latin class.
Another spring break trip will visit Nashville, Tennessee. Students will travel with history instructor Kent McConnell for one week during which they will be learning about the Civil War and the unique style of music that was introduced during the 20th century.
The two topics differ greatly from each other, but McConnell said, “Given that the students I generally encounter at PEA don’t have much exposure to this region of the country, I thought these two subjects combined might present students with an interesting foray into America’s past.”
McConnell initiated the trip because of an extended version of the same trip he had done with his family during a sabbatical. He said, “At the time, it struck me that students or alumni might appreciate this trip.” McConnell also looked forward to visiting an area in which his family had a historical stake: the site where two of his great-great-grandfathers from Ohio fought in the Civil War. He said, “We will be able to stand on the ground in which both men actually fought. My one ancestor is buried in the National Cemetery there in Chattanooga.”
Overall, McConnell said that this trip is an opportunity for students to learn about the role that the American South played in history and the “unique expression of music: rock ‘n’ roll, which was a unique blend of blues, country western, folk, gospel and soul music never heard before the 20th century.”
PEA has also partnered with a travel program called Envoys to lead its first academic trip to Cuba. The introduction of this trip received great feedback from students of all grades. The program was very popular, so the committee selected only uppers and seniors. The trip will be led by history instructor Margaret Foley. She said, “We will meet academics, visit farmers and very small-scale entrepreneurs, visit important sites of the Cuban revolution and hopefully learn what it has been like for a regular person to live in Cuba in recent years,” she said. Foley said the trip is particularly exciting because of the changing relationship between the US and Cuba.
Senior Maegan Moriarty said there has been a lack of Cuban culture in her education of Spanish speaking countries over the past six years. She said that going to Cuba to personally experience the Spanish speaking world will help and said, “I'm very interested in the health care program in the communist nation and seeing how the communist government, if at all, has affected the health care system in Cuba.”
Additionally, 12 students will participate in the NOLS Utah trip, where they will camp, hike and travel on foot through the wilderness of Utah. This trip has been led by English instructor Jason BreMiller for the past four years. Students will carry a forty pound backpack during the six to eight hour days of hiking and walking through the terrain. The physically demanding trip will create a unique community of students living without technology or the worry of schoolwork for ten days.
The trip teaches outdoor skills and lessons of reflection and teamwork. BreMiller stated that students will acquire a wilderness expertise along with knowledge on “how to make decisions and come to consensus, how to navigate conflict and a host of individual leadership skills like active following, self-awareness and dealing with adversity.”
Lastly, in order to gear up for the upcoming season, both the boys and girls lacrosse teams will be traveling to Florida this spring break. Although going to different cities, the teams will be doing very similar things: training and bonding. The players will stay in hotels together mixed throughout grades to integrate the teams and form a bond necessary for a successful lacrosse season. Upper Charlotte Sununu attended the girls lacrosse trip last year and said, “We do a lot of team bonding exercises that we don't have time to do at school. We all stay together and do hard mental and physical team activities that bring everyone together.”
Throughout the day, practices, scrimmages and games will be played while also getting back into shape. As well as practices with the Exeter coaches and team, last year the girls team went through a tough workout with a former Navy Seal.
The players will also enjoy some free time. Since the girls will be in Orlando near Universal Studios and Disneyland, they will take trips into the parks. Students are excited for the warm weather and to get their sticks back out for an impressive lacrosse season. Lower Tanner McGowan is planning to spend his free time “hanging out in the pool and the ocean.”