Black Gold Trustees appreciate hearing student perspectives on spring break travel
Spring break brought an exciting opportunity for some Black Gold students - who experienced and learned about new countries, people, history and cultures in Europe.
Two groups of students were able to share their insights and thoughts about the experiences with the Black Gold Board of Trustees at a recent Board meeting.
35 John Maland High School students traveled to the United Kingdom and Ireland, with stops in London, Edinburgh, Wales, Dublin, Glendalough Ireland, Kilkenny and Dublin.
The group visited landmarks including castles and cathedrals, took in museums, enjoyed local food and culture, and explored the role religion has on society. Highlights included riding on the London Eye, visiting Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and taking a river cruise along the Thames. In Scotland, the group visited the National Museum and tried Haggas. Another highlight was taking a variety of transportation to the various destinations including The Tube, train, bus and ferry.
Leduc Composite High School saw about 54 students visit Austria, Germany and Switzerland over spring break.
In Austria, students thoroughly enjoyed a visit to Vienna’s Belvedere Palace where there are significant works of art, and then in Salzburg a stop to see various locations where the Sound of Music was filmed. In Germany, students had a brief stop at the Dachau concentration camp, and they visited various sites in Munich that were central to the rise of the Third Reich, as well as Neuschwanstein Castle. In Switzerland they visited the former Olympic site, and the Lion Monument in Lucerne.
Students from both schools spoke about what it was like to experience landmarks that are centuries old, and to consider the lived experiences of peoples in those places. They enjoyed the music, art, food and culture that surrounded them, and appreciated the opportunity to travel.
Board Chair Devonna Klaassen says, “The Board very much enjoyed hearing from students and staff who were able to travel. Alongside the curricular connections they spoke to so enthusiastically, students expressed a distinct appreciation for the richness of exploring other perspectives and cultures, and for the new friendships formed along the way. Most notably, they shared how these experiences deepened their understanding of the world and gave them the unique opportunity to step into greater independence and confidence.”