The last thing students would associate with their spring breaks is their teachers. However, Morgan Sohl, Kelly McMillan and Helene Hammer are teachers who took students overseas this spring break.

This year, Hammer went to Peru, where she and the students visited Machu Picchu, among other places. Sohl went to Costa Rica over spring break and is taking a Spanish immersion trip with students in the summer to Málaga, Spain.

McMillan and her group of students and English teacher Laura Stone also toured Spain, but visited several cities in France during their trip.
Ten students went on the Costa Rica trip and left on March 29.

“We’re going ziplining, white water rafting, and kayaking,” sophomore Hayley Patterson said before the trip. “And we were going to go to the beach, but we’re going snorkeling instead.”

Sohl first started leading spring break trips last year because she wanted students to gain the same learning experience she did. In high school, Sohl went on a spring break trip to England and Ireland.

“It was a fantastic learning experience to open myself up to new and different cultures,” Sohl said, “and experience first-hand ways people live.”
Last year, Sohl took students to Berlin, Prague, Krakow and Budapest. During the span of 10 days, they were able to visit four countries.

“One of my goals is to see the entire world so I said why don’t I get a start in it and went,” junior Emily Bove said.

The destinations change each year because students get to see a variety of places that way.

“Europe tends to be a popular destination, and I highly recommend it,” Sohl said. “But I like to take non-traditional trips to places students are less likely to visit in their lifetime, or that aren’t as popular as the major European cities.”

Students were allowed a little bit of freedom on the trip. The morning and evening had scheduled events, but the afternoon did not.

“For lunch, it was free for all, and you could go around the city,” Bove said. “Each city has something different to it like the food stands. It’s very spread out and different.”

The trips usually have anywhere from eight to 24 students and can include parents as well.

“I also open my trips up to parents as many parents find these trips to be fun, educational and affordable,” Sohl said.

Two years ago, LB students went on a joint trip with Robinson students to Spain.

“The tour company, EF, decided to partner us with them,” Hammer said.

They were taking the same trip on the same dates.

“I had been there many times before and thought that it would be fun to share the experience with my students,” Hammer said.

For the trip to Peru, there were no requirements to joining the trip.

“Just about anyone can go,” Hammer said, “but usually students who study Spanish are the ones who do.”

The group visited Cuzco as well as the capital, Lima.