Tour de Europe

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A SNEAK PEEK AT THE JUNIORS’ SPRING BREAK TRIP Words | Nicolas Siller

For most juniors, their spring break isn’t just a week to unwind from a stressful semester, but it entails the beginning of their much anticipated Europe trip, an amazing trip that takes the juniors to the historic places that they have only read about in books since their Grammar school years.

Mrs. Shelly Ward, trip organizer and college counselor, has led the juniors on this trip since 2014. However, she is not the only member of the faculty who loves to come back year after year to these historic places. Mr. Dirk Russell, the 12th grade humanities teacher, has accompanied the juniors on almost every trip as well. “I love going every year, and there is always something new and interesting to learn about these fascinating places,” he said.

(photos provided by seniors from their trip in 2019)

Michaelangelo’s David is a whopping 17 feet tall and weighs an astounding 12,000 pounds. It is possibly one of the most famous sculptures in the world and demonstrates the best of Renaissance art and the talent of Michaelangelo. Though a replica may be seen in a Florence plaza, the real statue is kept in the Accademia Gallery Museum in Florence which students get to visit during the trip. Though some may remember Michaelangelo from a Grammar School art docent or art class, Ward said, “Nothing can prepare you to see it. He is beautiful, and everything about him is beautiful.” Michaelangelo’s David

Ever since Rome was founded in 576 BC, it has always been an Italian metropolis. From a kingdom to the seat of a centuries-old Empire to the home of the Catholic Church, Rome has always played a big part in the history of Western Europe. On the Europe trip, students get to see feats of architecture such as the Colosseum and remnants of the Roman forum and theaters which they learned about during their freshman year. This city is bursting at the seams with ancient history and culture. In fact, the modern day city of Rome is built on so much history, building subways presented a challenge since builders kept running into ruins and artifacts. Roman Forum

Russell remembers his first Europe trip when the students were going to eat dinner at a pizza place, their tour guide pointed out that right across the street there was an excavation being done at the exact place where Julius Caesar was said to have died. “Rome is so full of history that even the place where Julius Caesar died becomes by the way,” Russell said.

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The Duomo, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is one of the largest cathedrals in the world, built with a masonry dome of over four million bricks. It is located in the historic Italian city of Florence, the place where the famed poet Dante grew up. On the trip, students are able to climb 463 steps up a claustrophobic staircase to the top of the dome and stand on a viewing platform that overlooks Florence and Tuscany. “It’s breathtaking and beautiful,” trip coordinator and organizer Ward said. “It’s what you thought Italy should look like.” “It is magnificent and always gives me a sense of awe,” Russell said. The Duomo

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“I had always thought that it was so cool, but the first time I walked in and saw the 20 foot high fresco in front of me, I couldn’t breathe,” Ward said. The historic School of Athens fresco housed in the Raphael rooms of the Vatican Museums depicts 21 figures, believed to be Greek philosophers, as they converse in front of the statues of the Greek god Apollo and the Roman goddess Minerva. The fresco was painted by Raphael, another one of the art docent’s favorites. It was finished in the early 16th Century along with three other frescoes created by Raphael to represent the different branches of knowledge such as poetry, law, theology and philosophy. School of Athens Fresco

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Located right beside the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens, Mars Hill is at the place where the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel to the Greeks. There, Russell reads a passage from Acts 17 as a tribute to Paul. It’s a passage read many times during Logic School Bible classes, but there on Mars Hill, it is truly brought to life. “It brings to life the time, the place and the culture where Paul was, and it’s always the highlight of my trip,” Russell said. Mars Hill

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