The week before Spring break, both Middle School and Upper School students participated in activities to gain knowledge and experiences outside of the classroom.
For 10th grade, the week was filled with travel and experiencing new cultures. Sophomores flew to Louisiana, participated in community service activities and became immersed in the NOLA(New Orleans, Louisiana) culture. The week was a time for the grade to bond before entering a new chapter of life at WIS, starting the IB next year.
"For me, the best part of the NOLA trip was getting to know my advisees, fellow teachers, and other students in the 10th grade class on a completely different level. Together, in a foreign "non-WIS" environment, we explored an eclectic historic city that was rich with cultural diversity, delicious Cajun food and timeless jazz music" - Mr. Munt
Day 1
New Orleans was packed with places to visit, music to listen to and food to eat. The sophomores visited Preservation Jazz Hall, Armstrong Park and Bourbon Street.
"It was a really cool dive into the culture of New Orleans" - Julia Brownell
"The trip was both guided and independent because we got a guided tour but then in the afternoons we had free time where we could explore New Orleans, which really made the experience valuable" - Ainhoa Petri-Hidalgo
"I really loved the fact that I got closer to a lot of people I never thought I would get closer with" - Julia Stefanska
Day 2
The sophomores visited a plantation, where they learned about the long family history associated with the plantation which brought to light the undervalued work of the slaves. Later the students went on a swamp tour where they were able to hold a live alligator. The guide on the swamp tour recounted the story of a women named Julia Brown who practiced Voodoo and who cursed her entire village.
"I think the grade really bonded, the students had their first mud bath in the Mississippi. The service days were really fun because everyone came together for a cause they believed in. It was also nice to be in a non-academic environment and joke around with the students." - Ms. Berres
"We found a random field full of clovers and just sat there braiding crowns" - Zoe Abel
"NOLA was super duper, I had a brilliant time" - Torin O'Brien
Day 3 and 4
The sophomores all contributed to the community by dividing and conquering issues prevalent in New Orleans such as environmental concerns, shelter and hunger. The students did this through participating in swamp restoration, habitat for humanity and food pantry over the course of the next two days. After each tiring day, the students would return to the hotel for down time before they headed out to explore the French Quarter for dinner.
Habitat for Humanity
Video by Madeline Connolly
"Hey baaaby" - Charlie Cooper
"Po'boys are really good and mayonnaise is not bad when it's on them" - Anthea Walker
"A nice balance of service and action" - Max Webel
Swamp Restoration
"I learned about NOLA culture" - Faysal Al-Kibbi
"The swamp restoration was fun and we had a mud fight" - Peter Laursen
"I believe NOLA was a very good experience and I enjoyed it thoroughly" - Federico Galizia
"'Twas an enlightening experience with my peers" - Fabi Gray
"The trip was too short" - Madeline Connolly
"It was lit!" - David Somay
"It was a great bonding experience and I loved the freedom we were given" - Juliette Fischer
"The grade was able to come together while giving back to the community" - Anna Martinelli-Parker
Video by Charlie Cooper
Photos taken by WIS sophomores and teachers
Adobe Spark By Celeste Bloom