Liberty High Students Travel to Italy
Diana (Grade 11 / Liberty High) Originally published March 2004In January of 2004, students from Liberty High School in Blaine, Minnesota took a trip to Italy for 10 days. The students all saved up their money in order to take this once in a lifetime trip to a place none of them had ever seen before. Students were selected by the amount of interest they each showed in the opportunity and how responsible each individual was.
Liberty High Charter School takes several trips inside the United States and to Europe each year. In February, students will be in Germany, France, and Italy. Besides the other criteria, they are chosen on a first come first serve basis, but the amount of trips each year allows almost every student who wants it, the opportunity to travel.
In Italy, the students learned a lot about history, art, and culture. The students soaked it in wherever they went, even while gazing out the train windows while traveling from city to city. Liberty student Bill West said, “It was really enjoyable!” They were allowed the chance to see
famous art up close and in person. They visited Pompeii and learned about its tragic history of being destroyed by a volcano in 79 A.D. The students also got to the Vatican. The students took gondola rides in Venice along with their teacher and his daughter, Gary Knox and Sara Knox. They also got to view the Sistine Chapel and see other art such as the famous statue of
David that they had formerly only see in their schoolbooks. Besides that, they got to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and walk around by the ancient Coliseum where the gladiators used to fight. In addition to that, the students got to eat some real Italian food.
Throughout the whole trip they visited, Florence, Venice, Pisa, Naples, Pompeii and Rome. After the unforgettable trip, the students brought back memories and lessons that they will remember forever. All of the students were amazed that they got this opportunity and became even more
stabilized in their sureness of choosing to go to a charter school. They got the chance to see places that most people will never get to see.