Students from W.T. Clarke High School and East Meadow High School toured different parts of Europe during the spring recess for an authentic and engaging learning experience.

W.T. Clarke High School’s Language students practiced their skills during a trip to Italy and Spain. Students created a once in a lifetime memory through experiences like climbing the 463 steps to the top of the Duomo in Florence, Italy; dancing with each other on the Ponte Vecchio to the music of local musicians; running through the Munich, Germany airport to catch a connection; arriving in Madrid, Spain to find themselves in the middle of the plaza during the solemn Semana Santa processions and visiting the ancient Roman aqueduct in Segovia.

Although a picture is worth a thousand words, ask any of the students what they thought of the trip, and the response would be much more. Maria Miller was the lead adviser, and the chaperones were Theresa Masella, Adnen Ayari and James Parisi.

East Meadow High School’s advanced studies, Business Honor Society, National Honor Society, and Academy of Finance students kicked off their trip with a visit to Pompeii, a vast archaeological site in southern Italy’s Campania region near the coast of the Bay of Naples. Once a thriving Roman city, Pompeii was buried under meters of ash after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The group then explored the Amalfi coast from Positano to Amalfi ending with a drive up to Ravello along with the beautiful sites of the Amalfi Coast. This one-day tour included a visit to an operational lemon farm to learn how lemons are cultivated. The next morning, they enjoyed a daylong excursion to the island of Ischia where they climbed up to local fortress Castello Aragonese.

Another day, the group boarded a high-speed hydrofoil to cross the Bay of Naples to the island of Capri. From there, they immediately boarded a boat to the Blue Grotto, a spectacular sight where students embarked on row boats, entering a cave where the sunlight created a blue reflection illuminating the cavern. The group later headed up to Anna Capri for lunch and a view of Capri from the top of the island. Returning to Sorrento, students learned how mozzarella was made with a visit to a Sorrento mozzarella farm and in the evening, students learned a southern Italian folk dance called the Tarantella, which students performed in fabulous fashion. Before heading back up to Rome, the group enjoyed a guided tour of the Naples underground, here within the Ancient Greeks built aqueducts beneath the city which were later used in World War II for the protection of the Italian people from air raids.

In Rome, students visited the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, and the famous, fashionable street of the Via dei Condotti. A stop at the Trevi Fountain allowed students to toss their coins with the hope to one day return to Rome. They also enjoyed guided tours of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and the Vatican Museum which included a visit to the phenomenal St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. Students were able to view some of the most famous works of renowned artist Michelangelo. One evening, students were able to choose a restaurant, one of the favorite trattorias of the Italian people in the Piazza Navona. Their last evening ended with a pizza making event where the students learned how to make brick oven pizza as they were able to compare Roman pizza to the pizza they experienced in Naples, where pizza originated.

Finally, the group said goodbye to Rome and a fantastic week in Italy. “To say this trip was incredible is an understatement,” said Toni McIntosh, the district’s business chairperson. “It was an experience of a lifetime as the students experienced firsthand all the historical sites that they learned about throughout their academic studies.”

Date Added: 5/12/2022