Trip departs during spring break

During spring break, middle school students traveled internationally to Italy and New Zealand on trips organized by the Woo International Center.

A group of 18 sixth graders traveled to Italy to learn about ancient Rome. From Naples to the Sorrentine Peninsula and then to Rome, students saw firsthand the ancient sites they learned about in their social studies curriculum. Students visited Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vatican City and the Colosseum, attended a gladiator school, walked the Spanish Steps, learned to make gnocchi and more. No trip to Italy is complete without dropping a penny into the Trevi Fountain. “Every student hopes to return to Rome again in the future,” said sixth-grade English teacher Jennifer Robel, who joined the students on the trip.

10 seventh and eighth grade students visited New Zealand to immerse themselves in Maori culture and participate in service projects. Part of the trip was a stay at Tahuwhakatiki marae, a communal and sacred Maori gathering place in Tauranga. Students toured a permaculture farm, planted an indigenous garden, and hiked the hills of Papamoa. They also spent time at Southwell School in Hamilton, where they experienced life as a boarding student, attending classes and making new friends. “We are grateful for the opportunity to travel internationally this spring break,” said Lorelei Saito, a seventh grade faculty member who went on the trip.