Prep students put “Global” in Leadership Institute
From June 29th to July 10th, fifteen Prep students visited three different countries and five different cities in thirteen days. From seeing Big Ben in London to marveling at the Sistine Chapel in Rome, these Prep G.L.I. students made their mark on the opposite side of the globe.
Paired with Educational Tours, (EF) a company that provides experiential learning opportunities around the world for U.S. and Canadian high school students, and chaperoned by G.L.I. director Colonel William Merrill, Jackson Prep students experienced a variety of cultures during their trip abroad.
The students attended an Indian cooking class and enjoyed many different dinner experiences throughout their time abroad. On the trip the students visited many historical landmarks and famous locations.
Senior Elizabeth Stephenson said, “The trip was a ton of fun. We saw so much of Europe in thirteen days. My favorite place we went to would have to be Paris. I loved being able to speak French and see all of the historical sights I had learned about in my French class. We took some cooking classes that were very fun and enjoyable. We concluded our trip with the EF Global Leadership Summit. We explored the topic of healthy and sustainable food. I loved getting to meet so many different people from all around the world. The conference was a lot more fun than I was expecting and I would recommend everyone go!”
While in London, the Prep students were able to see many famous landmarks such as The Strand, Big Ben and the British Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and also the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
While in Paris, the students visited many famous parisian landmarks such as the Champs-Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre. While in Italy, the Prep students enjoyed the stellar gelato throughout the country, visiting Rome, Florence, and Milan. While in Rome, the students visited the home of the Pope in the Vatican City , the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Colosseum. In Florence the students visited the Duomo and a Gelato museum.
Gelato is wildly popular in Italy and tops all other nation’s attempts at gelato. Students agreed America is no match for Italy in terms of cold desserts.
Wrapping up the tour, the students attended a Global Leadership Summit in Milan, Italy. The theme of the summit was called “The Future of Food” and students examined what food means to cultures around the world as they explored cities across Europe. Throughout the trip, the students gained a deeper understanding of food’s ability to be a link to our past and present, and learned about our role in the future of food.
Senior Jewels Tauzin said, “Our trip to Europe was an absolute dream!! I loved how we saw five different cities because it broadened my perspective of all the different cultures and people of Europe. My favorite day was in Paris, where we went to the Louvre, Notre Dame, & Shakespeare & Co. bookstore all in one day. Shakespeare & Co. is a bookstore in the middle of Paris that I had wanted to go to for years and I just couldn’t believe I was there! It made it even more enjoyable that I was there with some of my closest friends and also got to meet new people. The shared experience that we had together will last forever and I am so thankful for that!”
