The Comsewogue School District recently showed 77 students across Europe for an immersive learning experience in the heart of the cities and cultures they’ve learned and read about in the classroom.
Since 2005, the Comsewogue School District has taken students on a European trip across multiple countries to give the students the opportunity to practice the languages, experience the cultures, and explore the many historical sites. The trips last eleven days each and are open to all students in good standing. To ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate, the district books two identical trips in the same year if one reaches capacity. This year, the District took 41 students on one trip in May and 36 on another in June.
“Our European field trip is an invaluable opportunity and learning experience for students to communicate with the locals, see how people live in different countries, and visit famous sights and places they may have never known existed,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jennifer Quinn. “Students look forward to this opportunity every year, and we’re so excited to take them outside of the classroom and into the heart of the most famous sites across Europe for such an awe-inspiring experience.”
The experience began in Switzerland, where students hiked the Swiss Alps and visited sites such as the Lion Monument, which memorializes the troops slain during the 1792 Paris storming of the Tuileries. Three days in, students traveled to northern Italy and visited the stunning lakeside city of Como. Next, students traveled through Monaco to the French Riviera and stopped in Nice for a walking tour of the historical city known for inspiring renowned artists and philosophers like Henri Matisse and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Students spent two days exploring the French Riviera before making their way to the Provence region to visit Pont du Gard, the Nîmes Amphitheater and Palais de Papes. The trip concluded with two days in Barcelona, Spain, where students visited Park Güell, explored the city by bike and took flamenco dance classes. After the trips first 11 days, students were also given the opportunity to expand their trip with a visit to Madrid and Toledo.
Students are chaperoned by staff members at a one-to-six ratio and led by a full-time tour director to manage all aspects of travel and provide insight into the local history and culture. Multiple sightseeing and walking tours are also guided by local experts in the field to provide historical context and answer any questions. Students also had the option to create a final, reflective project on their experience for academic credit.
Next year’s trips will send students to Italy for 11 days with stops in Bari, San Domino and Rome. Students will visit sights like the Coliseum, the Capuchin Crypt and Vatican City, in addition to excursions such a pasta-making class and boat cruise.
App users: Visit this page for pictures from the 2024 Europe trip.