Spring Break took on a whole new dimension this year for the adventurous Storm King School students who attended the School’s international trips to Italy and Costa Rica. Their excursions took them to interesting and historic locations in both countries where they tried new and sometimes challenging activities, sampled delicious local foods, and experienced the cultures of these two exciting destinations firsthand.

In Italy, the SKS group set out by exploring the history of Rome before traveling to Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, Florence and Pisa. The Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Colosseum were only some of famous sites they visited. For many students, it was their first trip to Italy, and for some, like senior Laurel P. ’23, it was their first time traveling without family. “I will always remember this trip. Not only was it my first time in Italy, but it was also my first solo trip traveling without family members or meeting up with family members on the other end.”

Kaitlyn M. ’27 especially enjoyed the group’s visit to Florence and the surrounding small towns. “The most challenging part of the trip was all of the uphill walking we did. I will always remember standing near Michelangelo’s statue of David when we visited Florence. My favorite part of the trip was eating all the delicious Italian food.”

“I also really enjoyed walking around the small villages in Florence. I especially liked seeing the real leaning tower in Pisa” added Emma Clegg ’27. “We went to so many places and museums, and I learned a lot about Italy.”

The students who traveled to Costa Rica also followed a full itinerary of sightseeing, outdoor activities, and community service. In between exploring San Jose, zip-lining through the jungle, surfing, snorkeling, and getting to know the local culture and food, the group visited the Manuel Antonio School in southern Costa Rica to help out with an important project.

“It was my first time visiting Costa Rica,” explained Jasper L. ’24. “Visiting there was life-changing and I was able to try a lot of adventurous activities and face some fears. My favorite part of the trip was working at the Manuel Antonio School. We were there, not only to enjoy what Costa Rica has to offer, but also giving back to the community.”

“We worked together along with our local tour leader to fix very old, dilapidated desks at this underserved school,” explained Mrs. Centeno who was a faculty chaperone on the trip. “We cleaned, sanded, and painted 33 desk frames; cut, sanded, and painted nearly 100 pieces of wood, including the desks’ tops, backs, and seats; and completely assembled 13 desks.”

“It was hot and tiring, but the end result was worth it. It was nice seeing the hard work we put in be put to use and appreciated,” said Madison B. ’24, reflecting on her experience. Patrick F. ’25 echoed a similar feeling: “I felt very accomplished as a whole during the project, and I learned to work hard to accomplish something great.” Senior Elena C. ’23, an avid supporter of good causes at SKS, described the experience as ‘incredible.’ ”It was really heartwarming to receive pictures of the kids’ smiling faces sitting at the desks we repaired and a great way to give back to the people there,” she commented.

Along with their educational value, Storm King’s international trips are a good opportunity for students to relax, make new friends, and create lasting memories. “I’ll definitely remember how beautiful the rainforest was, and the warm weather on the beach. I’ll remember the mangrove tour and the zip-lining; and being woken up to the sound of monkeys on the roof. I’ll never forget snorkeling in the ocean and the sunset from on the boat,” continued Madison. “My favorite part of the trip was the friendships that I made, and now I will forever cherish those memories,” continued Laurel. Upon their return to campus, Max P. ‘27 echoed the feelings of most of the SKS travelers when he was asked “What will you remember the most about your spring break trip?” His answer: “Everything.”