From Kraków to Budapest, twelve students spent nine days this past summer exploring the history, culture, and people of Central Europe.
The program began as an idea from Dr. Bridget Gurtler, who wanted to build a travel-study program in the region. The school partnered with Atlas Workshops, which designed the itinerary and structure.
Mr. Andrew Poolman, Director of the Global Studies Program, said, “My personal experience didn’t influence the program design or itinerary too much. We partnered with Atlas Workshops, and they designed the flow of the program. However, to better prepare our students, I did share my own experience and the impact it had on me as a high school student.”
“Any time our students travel to another country, they confront stereotypes and preconceived notions.”
Mr. Andrew Poolman
Central Europe carries the weight of the twentieth century in its streets and landmarks. Both Poland and Hungary lived through Nazi occupation during World War II and decades of communist rule afterward, and that history remains visible throughout the region. Seeing sites and artifacts connected to these events made a lasting impression on the students.
“I think the boys returned from this program with a newfound appreciation of history,” Mr. Poolman said. “More specifically, I think their understanding of World War II, the Holocaust, and the Communist Revolution grew tremendously. Witnessing artifacts from these events was a unique and profound experience.”
This experience extended beyond history. Traveling abroad also challenged them to question assumptions they brought with them. “Any time our students travel to another country, they confront stereotypes and preconceived notions, and I think this program was no different,” Mr. Poolman said.
Mr. Poolman said there was no single most-memorable moment because each student came away with something different. “Travel-study programs like this have so many impactful moments that it’s difficult to choose just one. Each student’s lived experience also brings different perspectives to the program. For some students, connecting with locals while traveling is what they remember most. For others, visiting certain sites is most impactful.”
“Academic travel broadens perspectives, deepens what we study.”
Mr. Andrew poolman
Those varied experiences reflect the broader goals of the Global Studies program. According to Mr. Poolman, the program’s broad goal is for students to “be curious, embrace the discomfort, and engage with the world.”
“Academic travel broadens perspectives, deepens what we study, and helps students make new connections. It develops many skills that are really difficult to teach within the walls of a classroom,” Mr Poolman said.
For the students who made the journey, the trip offered something no textbook could: the chance to stand where history happened and see the world a little differently when they came home.
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