History teacher Ms. Leah Jerome has arranged a unique opportunity for PV students.

She, along with business and financial literacy teacher Mr. Matthew Schulien, is taking 15 senior students, some enrolled in her AP World History class and some not, across the world to experience a life-changing history lesson. Over spring break, the group will be traveling to Germany to learn about the Holocaust in a whole new way.

“We are going to be visiting sites that will teach us more about the rise of Nazi Germany and the atrocities that were committed during the WWII time period,” said Jerome.

The group will be exploring Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland, visiting historical places such as Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp used during the Holocaust, the Nuremberg documentation center where the Nuremberg trials were held, and Schindler’s factory.

The trip is technically not affiliated with the school and is receiving no funding, which shows the real initiative the students and teachers involved are taking. The group is doing all of its own fundraising and planning over the next couple months. They currently have an online school store selling clothes and have many future fundraisers in the works.

The group is also preparing for the trip by doing team building activities and thoroughly studying the Holocaust. This fall, the group is seeing a Holocaust speaker, not only to hear their story but also to understand exactly how the Holocaust impacted people beyond seeing the sites.

The students couldn’t be any more excited for and intrigued by this experience.

“It’s going to be a cool experience because we get to see historical parts of Europe and get to do it with all our classmates. It’s going to be a memorable trip and I’m excited,” said senior Jackie Catanio. “This is going to be my first trip to a foreign country and the fact that I get to have this experience with my classmates is awesome,” says senior David Menville.

Jerome is extremely excited as well, not only for the opportunity to teach her students in this unique way, but to learn more herself.

“I’m most excited to get to know this ambitious group of high school seniors and experience this era in history in a more direct way. I hope that what I learn from this trip and these students will forever impact how I teach the Holocaust,” Jerome said.

This group of PV students and teachers will be embarking on this phenomenal journey together in just a few months for a once in a lifetime experience.

Carly Comito