This summer, a group of students will be traveling to Europe to visit Scotland and Ireland. Dennis Seberger, a teacher at Elwood High Schools, has joined a program that allows students to travel the world.
“The students traveling will learn about international travel through airports and foreign countries. An experience like this can help to open the world up to people, and to instill a sense of confidence and self-reliance for the future, said Seberger. He also explained his role as a trip adviser.
“As a group leader, beyond organizing things before we travel, my responsibilities include keeping our group together and safe. When there are hiccups in travel (and there always are!), it falls on me to keep the group together and moving forward, and to make it as seamless as possible for our students,” said Seberger. On their trip they will fly into Dublin and see the city, including St. Patrick's Cathedral. After Dublin, they'll travel to Belfast, see the city there, lots of the Irish countryside, and even the shipyard where the Titanic was built. They’ll get to ride a ferry from Ireland to Scotland, and travel through the Edinburgh region seeing countryside and castles.
“We even get a nighttime haunted tour in Edinburgh. We'll see Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, and many others, Seberger explained. Then they’ll visit some of the lochs, and even go on a boat ride in Loch Ness; some of the students aboard are already planning to catch the Loch Ness Monster and bring her back with them! After seeing the Scottish castles and highlands, they’ll head home.
“A trip like this takes a lot of preparation above and beyond normal travel. On top of the fundraising, students have applied for and gotten their passports, we'll have to ensure everyone's COVID information is up to date based on travel requirements, we have to pack for ten days in minimal baggage, and we have to stay in shape to ensure we're ready for all of the touring!” exclaims Seberger. He went on to preview upcoming travel opportunities for Elwood students.
“In the summer of 2023, Arapahoe is going on a trip to Europe, and their group leader has mentioned that they are interested in including Elwood travelers who are interested, too. More information about the possibility of that trip will be coming out in the near future. Also, next school year, we will begin discussing more future trips, so keep your ears open if you're interested in traveling!” said Seberger. These trips provide great opportunities for our students, and are a great thing to consider.