Globally, class trips have been a way for students to explore the world around them and learn valuable lessons. However, many school trips abroad had been cancelled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with more countries and programs opening up, DePaul Prep is now planning a few class trips for the Summer of 2022. Trips to South America and Europe have become possible again, and students have already begun registration with excitement.

When asked about what trips are offered, Mr. Chris Petersen, Dean of Student Activities and Student Life, said, “We currently have three Experiential Learning Trips on the 2021-2022 calendar: Ecuador, France, and a World War II trip through Europe. These trips have already reached capacity and sign up is closed for these trips.”

All trips through DePaul College Prep are handled through EF Tours, which is an organization that helps plan and organize educational trips for students.

Among these students who have signed up is sophomore Charlie Anderson, who is attending the World War II trip across Europe facilitated by the Social Studies Department.

Applications opened last spring and accepted students will go on a tour of the American World War II front this July.

Some of the activities Anderson will be attending on this 14 day trip include walking the beaches of Normandy where the D-Day invasion occurred, taking a tour of London, and visiting Berlin.

Anderson, who is interested in the history of World War II stated that “I am excited to go to the sites where the events of World War II happened, because though I’ve been to France and other places, I never got to go to its historical sites. I’m also expecting and hoping to have a better understanding of Europe and its history.”

Sophomore Gabriel Gutierrez’s French class is sponsoring the trip he plans to attend.

Gutierrez said Ms. Parker will be chaperoning alongside the EF Tour Guides. Students will stay in France for nine days while they explore festivals surrounding French Independence Day, which takes place on July 14th.

Gutierrez expressed, “I’m extremely excited to travel the world and learn about different cultures. I also expect to learn more about the French culture, and learn more things and French and practice with French to other people.”

As our world is progressively becoming more normal, more can be done to help students explore. When asked if new locations will be coming in the future, Mr. Petersen stated, “Yes, we are exploring new locations every year!” This allows our students to experience different cultures and locations this world has to offer. When speaking on his own high school experience, Mr. Petersen expressed, “I did not have the opportunity to travel in high school, which is probably why I am so passionate about it as an adult. The world is an amazingly large and culturally diverse place and we have so much to learn outside of our own communities.”

Corrections: Nov. 2, 2021

An earlier version of this article included an incorrect detail that Mr. Corbett would be a chaperone for the trip to France. Mr. Corbett is not chaperoning the trip to France.

An earlier version of this article erroneously attributed the World War II trip to the History Club. The World War II trip is being facilitated by Social Studies teachers, not the History Club.