Riverside has many exciting events and activities to offer to students every day, and one of the biggest, most exciting events the school has to offer are school trips. Riverside has many school trips to offer every year: including France, by the French Immersion department, ran by Kevin Tao; the Europe and Austrian exchange, ran by Mario Luongo and Clarence Chee; the grade 10 science Orlando trip, ran by Jeremy Brown and the science department; and the Rapid Change humanitarian trip to India in 2018 to be run by Ms. Joni Blaxland.
Each of these trips has its own qualities that make it stand out from the others. On the Orlando trip, students have the opportunity to visit Disney World and see the behind-the-scenes psychics aspect of the rides. With the Europe trip, students stay with an Austrian host family and visit four different destinations such as Budapest, Prague, and Slovakia. “Because it offered a lot and we went to multiple countries, it gave a feeling of independence and freedom,” said grade 11 student Kennedy Rud, who went on the Europe exchange trip in March 2016. On the France trip, the French immersion students get to experience the culture and showcase their learning of the French language skills. For the humanitarian trip to India, students get to help others in in other parts of the world and experience the culture as well.
Although the first thoughts that come to mind when a school trip is mentioned are excitement and fun, but many may not realize the benefits and opportunities that these trips can bring to students. “It helped me understand the French language and culture differences between Europe and North America a lot more, and has helped me appreciate the French language,” said grade 11 student Soria Blumer, who went on the France trip in May 2016.
Many students may not know about the majority of these trips and can miss out on the amazing opportunities of learning and experiencing the world that can come from going on one of them.
