During spring break, Pascack Valley History Teacher Theresa Flynn and Internship Program Coordinator Laura McSpirit traveled internationally to France and Italy with 13 students.

Flynn explained that the two teachers planned the trip last year with consideration educational experiences while also,  “taking in consideration of where the students would be most interested in visiting.” 

According to Flynn, travelers took various modes of transportation, including planes, bus, mass transit and speed train. Notable landmarks which the group had the opportunity to visit in France included the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles where French royalty including Marie Antoinette once lived, the Louvre which is home to DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, and the widely recognized Cathedral of Notre Dame.  

From France, the group traveled to Italy where they enjoyed the delicacies and sites of the countryside. The tourists visited the statue of David which is located in the city of Florence and is one of Michelangelo’s most famous works of art. While in Pisa, they had the opportunity to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The capital city of Rome was brimming with ancient history from the Colosseum where gladiators fought thousands of years ago to the Vatican City State, the headquarter of the Catholic church and home to the Pope, and the Sistine Chapel famous for Michelangelo’s fresco.  

Accordingly to Flynn, the purpose of the trip was “to expose the kids to other cultures that they learn about in school.” 

In addition to giving the students the opportunity to experience the cultural differences of Italy and France, Flynn said that this trip taught them about converting money from the United States’ dollar to the European Union’s euro. The trip also showed them the importance of adapting when things don’t go as planned as so often happens when traveling.  

The trip was such a tremendous success that Flynn “looks forward to the opportunity to take trips in the future”.