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Over the next few weeks, mixed in with end-of-school year activities and the start of summer vacation, almost one-third of our students will participate in one of three school-sponsored trips.
Mrs. Hochtl will take twenty-three of her AP Environmental Science students to St. Croix (USVI) from May 16-22. She hopes her students will “experience the diverse ecosystems of God’s creation and that it inspires action from them to care for and protect these types of special places on our planet.” Mrs. Cofelice, Ms. Desmond, Mr. Mysnyk, and Mrs. Petersmeyer will also serve as chaperones.
A week later, Mrs. Justkaitis and Mr. Jager will lead a group of twelve students to New Zealand and Australia from May 29-June 12. They hope that “students will experience a very diverse land, people, and culture, and anticipate great experiences and interactions with the local communities including exposure to local food dishes, cultural arts, and new geography – including time at Surfers Paradise.”
From June 2-8, Ms. Desmond, Ms. Nock, Mr. Wyse, and I will be leading ten sophomores on a mission trip to Monterrey, Mexico as we learn and work alongside Mexican nationals at a Back2Back Ministries Orphanage. My desire for these students is that they will have open eyes and hearts to God’s work in a different cultural context and that they would expand their understanding and empathy for others. For many of these students, they see this as a unique opportunity to grow in their Christian faith.
With these trips, we are attempting to expand student opportunities that foster off-campus learning through travel and service. Why? Because through the lens of our school’s commitment to the Christian faith and The Portrait of a Saint, we are striving to prepare VCHS graduates who are ‘servant leaders, honoring and caring for that which has been entrusted to them, both at home and abroad.’
Steve O'Neil
Head of School
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