Morgan students traveled to Italy during spring break 2024. Twenty-four Morgan students traveled to 3 cities: Venice, Florence, and Rome. In Rome, students toured the Colosseum. Students also visited the Vatican, where they saw the Sistine Chapel. The students also visited suburbs of Venice, including Burano and Murano. Students explored museums, sculptures, and the culture of Italy.
Senior Sean Davis stated, “I really enjoyed the experience I took on, and I think being able to experience the places we went and understanding the historical background was important.” These opportunities can lead students out of their comfort zone, which can be an amazing experience. A tip that Sean suggested for any Morgan student considering a school trip was to look at the weather forecast and dress properly for the places on the itinerary. Also, go into the trip with an open mind. Be open to making new friends and having some fun. 
Senior Sophia Caprio enjoyed her first experience traveling through a school trip. Sophia’s favorite memory was shopping along the streets of each city and seeing all the different merchandise the stores had to offer. Sophia mentioned that she loved the gondola ride in Venice on the Rio Dei Barcaroli. She loved seeing all the pretty buildings. Sophia would love to experience something like this again because she found that exploring the different cities and the art is super cool. She would recommend going on a Morgan School trip.
For Morgan English teacher Eric Caroll, This was Morgan English teacher Eric Caroll’s first international school trip with students. He had an amazing time exploring Italy with Morgan students. While he may not go on another school trip for a few years because his own children are at such a young age, he will look forward to experiencing one again in the future. Mr. Caroll saw lots of interesting sites and art. He will bring back knowledge he gained by touring the Sistine Chapel and digesting the tour information on the statues in the Uffizi Gallery.
Morgan Principal Keri Hagness attended this trip to Italy. Even though she attended other school trips in past years, this one was extra special to her. She believes the best part of the trip for her and the students was visiting places they never saw before other than in textbooks in school. This trip was different from the past trips she went on because Italy is filled with culture and history. The palaces were filled with such rich history, with many lessons about the landscapes as well as the famous people who shape who we are today.
Art teacher Justin Sylvia took his first school trip and had an amazing time seeing Morgan students experience something that they had never seen before. Mr. Sylvia stated, “This trip was a great way to see the world and experience different things, even if I had to be responsible for students. It was an amazing opportunity, and it was very rewarding to see what the students were seeing and to exposure them to the food and culture.” One thing Mr. Sylvia is bringing back to teach his students in the art classroom is the mosaics in St Peter’s Basilica. He is going to incorporate that specifically into one of his future lessons for his students.
Yearbook and Husky Leadership teacher Shannon Robinson was a huge contributor to the creation of this trip. Mrs. Robinson built the itinerary along with EF Tours to make the students’ time in Italy the most memorable as possible. Since Mrs. Robinson planned the trip, she took responsibility for the trip’s financial details. This is something the other chaperones did not have to do. While In Italy, she also communicated with all the tour guides that guided students around the 3 cities they visited in Italy.
I also am glad I went on the trip because I learned so much about Italy’s historical culture and saw amazing views in the 3 cities. While this was my first time out of the country, I was excited to experience something different alongside a new group of people. I had tons of favorite memories, but one that really stood out to me was walking through all the cities and seeing the beautifully built monuments, sculptures, buildings, and shopping stores that were different from back here in the US. My advice to anyone interested in going on a school trip is, if you are offered the opportunity to travel abroad, is to definitely consider the experience. It is one of the amazing opportunities that are offered here at Morgan for students, and it is important to step out of your comfort zone to see how people live in the other parts of the world.
