Croatia and Panama are just a few of the places students have traveled to in the past couple of years. Organized in collaboration with EF Tours and Hart Tours, both educational travel agencies, these tours allow students to travel around the world and learn from these experiences.
For the sciences, students are immersed in geological, environmental, and agricultural activities such as planting Mangroves in Panama, while t art trips allow students to look at new places through a creative lens while being given creative assignments each day.
The art trips were started by Mr. Doug Johnson, a photography teacher, in collaboration with his wife, a photography teacher in another district. Initially, these trips were solely for photography purposes. In the 23 years these trips have been around they have only managed to grow.
Arts trips were originally only for students taking an arts course but they soon opened to all students, provided there was enough space. As for the benefits, students that go on these trips often take a semester abroad in college. These trips immerse students in the culture of a new place, and they have been reported to help boost self-confidence.
“[Traveling internationally] can be a little bit scary and this kind of gives you the confidence to say: okay, I can do this, I can go alone,” said Mr. Thomas Carter, Art department head.
Many of these trips fall over April or February break, depending on the subject. The Art department always schedules their trips during April break, leaving a few days before break begins. This year, their trip was called “Jewels of the Adriatic” and students visited Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Bosnia.
“Going to that many different countries and seeing that many different cultures all around the Adriatic Sea was a pretty amazing experience,” said Ms. Amie Larson, ceramics teacher.
During the trip, students were able to immerse themselves in the cultures of the four different countries and learn about their respective histories. There is always a course that goes along with the trips, based on art and design principles. Every day, students were given a theme for what to photograph. At the end of the trip, the students would compile their photographs into a slideshow and submit it with a final reflection. If they choose, students can complete a second art concentration during the trip for class credit even if they haven’t physically taken the course at WHS.
Although these trips don’t tie directly to the curriculum of any specific class, students are still able to find educational value during their travels.
“Using the world as your classroom is more powerful than anything a classroom setting inside a school can give you,” said Larson.
Students who went to Croatia were given the opportunity to cook in restaurants, take a walk around the national parks, and immerse themselves in the culture of multiple countries. These experiences helped them gain important life skills and learn more about the world from a perspective larger than Wellesley.
“All the experiences from the trip helped me to connect with other students, teachers, and the culture of other countries. I also became more observant as I was always looking at things with an artistic eye,” said Ray Johannes ’27.
In a day, students experienced a range of climates and environments. They were able to explore the old cities in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and green parks in Ljubljana, Slovenia. These experiences were cemented by themes they were given for their projects. Giving students the chance to see these sights while also giving them a reason to reflect further has shown a positive impact on these trips.
“I appreciate the school and my circle of people for all the opportunities it’s given me to make connections and to overall explore and widen my world which I would recommend everyone doing in some way,” said Janelle Albert ‘27.
Carter is in charge of planning and executing the art trips. Initially, Carter would pitch the ideas for the trips to the school committee, but as the trips garnered interest, Carter was given more freedom when it came to arranging these experiences. Even so, he still has to pitch these trips a year in advance, meaning that while the process for one trip is in full swing, organizers are already looking into the next experience.
These experiences matter to the students, allowing them to bond and create a community connection as they explore a new place.
Additionally, the science trips have also proven successful over the years. More recently, students traveled to Panama to immerse themselves in the culture and provide environmental assistance.
“I made friends and I got closer with people who went on the trip. The trip to Panama helped pique my interest in environmental science,” said Addie Sanft ‘26.
While the science trips have only been around for the past six years, leaders have built a curriculum mainly focused on the experiences of being in a country and helping contribute to the environment of the area around them. In Panama, students participated in a beach clean up and helped tag birds as they birdwatched in the rainforest.
On the itinerary for Belize, organizers have planned to have students help plant mangroves and assist in cooking traditional Mayan meals. The trips are meant to help connect students’ knowledge of biology to ecosystems and wildlife.
These educational trips have shown a wide variety of ways to enhance learning in and out of the classroom, showing success over the years. Students who have participated in the range of trips offered have expressed interest in visiting other countries and participating in future trips.
“School is more than just learning material and taking tests – it’s about trying to apply concepts outside the classroom and growing your perspective,” said science teacher Mr. Derrick Genova.