After years of hiatus, Milton High School is bringing back its highly anticipated student trip to Europe, a unique opportunity for cultural exploration and hands-on learning. Between April 18th and 26th, 40 students will travel across Europe in what promises to be an unforgettable experience supported by ACIS Educational Tours.

Over the course of nine days, the students will spend two days in Barcelona, Spain, two days in Provence, France, and finally three days in Paris, France. 

This tour offers a nine-day cultural immersion through guided tours of iconic landmarks like the Sagrada Familia, the Versailles Château, and the Eiffel Tower, along with hands-on experiences, such as a Taste of France cooking workshop and a Trencadís art session. With round-trip flights, meals, centrally located accommodations, and local transportation all included, this trip provides a seamless and enriching way to explore the history, art, and traditions of these three renowned European regions.

When the trip was initially announced back at the start of October, there was a general consensus of excitement and eagerness to be one of the 40 students that would be part of the week-long trip. 

Senior Ronan Kelly said, “As someone who has never left the country, I am really excited the school has given me the opportunity to explore the world.” 

Milton High has not had a trip to Europe since the COVID-19 pandemic, which made the announcement even more thrilling. After years of limited travel experiences, students were eager to take advantage of this unique opportunity to travel abroad and immerse themselves in European culture.

Yet, obviously, with the round-trip flights, hotel accommodations, daily meals, and daily experiences, a fee was required to be paid for the trip. At a price of $4,866 for the nine day trip, many students felt that despite the amazing opportunities the trip has to offer, the price was the deciding factor that deterred them from being one of the 40 students to travel. 

Senior Syndey Burns described how, for her, “the price was definitely the  biggest reason why I chose not to go on the trip–even if it’s  reasonable for Europe, five grand is still a lot to ask for.” 

Many seniors were already planning their “senior trip,” often a vacation trip with their friends to a place outside Massachusetts. As a result, the expensive combination of the cost of that trip with the cost of the Europe trip led to many choosing their senior trip over a school-sponsored trip.

Additionally, for all nine days of the trip, students will be accompanied by a chaperone. Although it is crucial to the safety and security of the student, the accompaniment of a chaperone limits the individual activities students can do while in Europe. 

Senior Jacque Timmins emphasized how, “I chose not to go on the trip because we would have to be with a teacher or chaperone the whole time, and I would prefer if I could do some things by myself.” 

However, for those who ultimately decided to sign up for the trip, immense enthusiasm and anticipation fill the air as they look forward to exploring Europe. 

Senior Juliette Yunger said, “My mom is the leader of the Europe trip, which gave me an easy entry and a good reason to go. I love traveling and I love Europe and my mom asked me if I wanted to go. I’m really excited about the food and visiting new cities.” 

For other students, the ability to explore cities they’ve likely never traveled to sparks immense excitement all well. 

Whether or not all students chose to sign up, the reintroduction of the trip to Europe reflects Milton High School’s dedication to offering enriching educational experiences beyond the classroom. For the 40 students heading on the trip, it’s sure to be an incredible adventure that blends education and exploration in a way they’ll remember forever.