Whether they are heading out to museums or experiencing a live performance at the New York Philharmonic, students are excited to participate in educational and engaging field trips!
This past January, Mrs. Paola Bonanno’s Italian students took a trip to the Garibaldi Meucci Museum in Staten Island, New York to explore Italian history. During their visit, they discovered how Italy became a unified country and uncovered the story of Meucci, the official inventor of the telephone. Students also gained insight into the experiences of early Italian immigrants who settled in New York City.
Sophomore Lirie Sulejmanoska, explained, “I learned the importance of Italian history and how it was also brought to America, as well as how important figures like Antonino Meucci and Gisuppee Garibaldi are both international and Italian heroes and historical figures.”
Sulejmanoska went on to share her favorite moment from the trip, “My favorite moment was when we visited the room Garibaldi lived in when he came to the US. In the room, it had his original duffle bag he traveled with, the desk he wrote on, and so much more.”
Another attending student, Junior Jayden Pham, was eager to learn about the history of Italy, mentioning, “I’ve been taking three years of Italian, so learning more about Italian history was an amazing experience.” Pham mirrored Sulejmanoska‘s favorite factor of the trip, emphasizing, “It gave a lot more coverage of Garibaldi’s life and a lot more history to be discovered in the house. I also love how they kept that history in the home. I have a lot of respect for that as this piece of knowledge is important in understanding the significance of this museum and Garibaldi’s history.”
Mrs. Bonanno enthusiastically commented, elated to be able to expose students to Italian culture, “Many of these students have Italian backgrounds where their grandparents came from Italy, so it is very important for them to understand the whole story of immigration and how Italy became one country. It’s part of who they are.” Mrs. Bonanno hopes to continue to expose her students to the history of Italy in the years to come!
On Jan. 15, Mrs. Victoria DeSantis took students on a trip to St. Thomas Aquinas College. The trip was organized to introduce students to a college that Becton partners with for dual enrollment opportunities and provided an opportunity for students to ask any questions that they had.
The visit began with an informational session led by an admissions representative, where students had the chance to ask questions and watch a film showcasing everything the college has to offer. Afterward, they went on a guided campus tour, which included a glimpse of dorm life. “Students were particularly fascinated by that part of the tour,” Mrs. DeSantis noted. For lunch, students dined in the college’s main cafeteria, where they could choose their own meal from a variety of meal options.
Junior Justin Kudlacik recalls appreciating the flexibility that this college offers, “There truly is something for everybody. You were able to share a major you were interested in to see how you would go about studying that at their specific school.”
“This experience has encouraged me to pursue higher education. It was exciting and inspiring!” shared junior Kiara Gonzalez. Kudlacik agreed with Gonzalez, adding that he feels he gained a better understanding of the college experience — something his teachers have been preparing him for.
Fellow attendee, junior Savannah Sarden, inputs that their tour guide was ready to answer every question thrown, walking everyone through common majors and what classes they may be taking, “My favorite part of our trip was the opportunity to see what each student does day-to-day. We got to see several classrooms, labs and other various activities we would be able to take part in if we were a student there.”
Yolande Fall, a junior student who attended, was endlessly passionate about her experience at this college! “I learned about the many fields of study within the school – they have one of the best education systems. Rather than relating to my class, it relates to my career path of chemistry and law,” she divulged, sharing her favorite part of the trip, “I liked the dining hall and the bio labs. The food was REALLY good and I love chemistry so it was nice to take a peek!”
Mr. David Dorsey’s class attended the New York Philharmonic on Feb. 7. where students were able to see a performance of Beethoven’s compositions while learning about the historical events of the time period.
The day consisted of seeing the New York Philharmonic– a famed orchestra, two brief tours of exhibits that explored the history of The Joffrey Ballet and Women in Jazz, and a performance of Beethoven’s symphonies as well as modern symphonies.
Senior Emily Augustyn, one of the participants on the trip, reflected on the unique learning opportunity the New York Philharmonic provided. “Because the New York Philharmonic performed Beethoven’s compositions and later explained the historical context behind them, our class learned more about historical events of the time period and how Beethoven’s work was interwoven with his personal experiences and tragedies, such as his worsening condition that was deafening him. Beethoven directly correlates with our European history class as he was a major influence on the Romantic movement. Cultural movements such as Romanticism are essential to further understand the history of Europe. ”
Augustyn continued, “My favorite moment on the trip was seeing the orchestra perform, as historically, people would not have access to recordings and in order to experience such music for themselves, they would be required to see an orchestra live. For me, imagining such an experience would be a surreal. Through imagining myself as someone in the 18th or 19th century hearing this music for the first time, I was stunned by the brilliant performance and I became deeply grateful for the technologies that we have at our fingertips today. Basically, it was amazing seeing the orchestra perform in all of its greatness.”
Mrs. Dana Muniz’s Marine Biology and AP Biology classes recently took an exciting trip to the Sea Life Aquarium at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford.
The visit provided students with a unique opportunity to observe marine life up close, offering a hands-on learning experience that would not typically be possible in the classroom. “We experienced firsthand all of the different organisms and phylums that we are been learning about,” Ms. Muniz shared.
The day started when they arrived at American Dream, walking through the aquarium. AP Biology Nicole Hernandez, attested, “Throughout the aquarium, we saw different oceanic animals from sea horses to sting rays to even sharks!” One of the main highlights of the trip was the touch tank, where students had the chance to physically interact with various species. Afterwards, the students explored the mall.
For many students, this immersive experience helped bring their lessons to life in a way that textbooks could not. Senior Gracie Taylor reflected on the impact of the trip, “Getting to feel and see the animals in person was amazing and really helped deepen my understanding.” Hernandez continued eagerly, connecting the trip to an in-class lesson, “I learned that the sharks are fed to full capacity so they do not eat the other fish in the water with them. It reminded me of the lesson we learned that week in class about how animals behave in their environment and the factors that can influence their actions, known as biotic and abiotic factors.”
Looking ahead, Mrs. Muniz hopes to take her Zoology classes to the Turtle Back Zoo this spring!
Field trips offer students valuable opportunities to learn beyond the classroom through hands-on experiences that enhance their understanding of various subjects. Whether exploring Italian history at the Garibaldi Meucci Museum or getting a glimpse of college life at St. Thomas Aquinas College, these trips leave a lasting impression as students immerse themselves in new avenues of learning.
