After countless pages of notes and grueling tests, students often lose sight of the importance of a nation’s history, even if it is not their own. This year, a group of dedicated Advanced Placement European History students plan to take a trip in which they will  experience European history first-hand and make deeper connections to the material they learned.

“While in Europe, we get to go to Milan, Paris, Florence, Rome and Switzerland,” sophomore Maya Stuessi said. “It will be a great experience because I will be able to use the things I’ve learned and see them actually in Europe.”

The 22 sophomores, along with AP European History teacher Mr. Greene, will depart for Rome on the first Saturday of spring break, and will not return until the next Sunday, the day before school resumes again. The students will gain a tremendous amount of knowledge, as well as a taste of new cultures and lifestyles.

“You can only learn so much while you’re reading a book or sitting in class hearing lectures over and over again,” Mr. Greene said. “When you experience the sights, sounds and smells  of a country and  see all the things that you read about, the students will learn so much more.”

A trip to another country allows students to apply what they’ve learned, but also to travel to a place they may have never been before. These adventures can change one’s entire perspective on the outside world.

“Traveling is one of the great things we can do as humans,” Mr. Greene said. “We live in a bubble where we don’t get to see different cultures and countries. It’s eye opening to discover the world is bigger than your neighborhood.”

Although the deadline has already passed to sign-up for this trip, another one is already in the works for next year. Mr. Greene is planning a trip to London and Germany for anyone who may be interested.

“It is going to be a once-in-a-life-time opportunity,” sophomore Kyle Plotkin said. “It will be really cool to get to experience the different cultures, people and languages in other countries.”