Trip To America Made Memories That Will Last A Lifetime

The eight-day trip visited New York and Washington providing plenty of cultural enrichment while making memories that will surely last a lifetime.

During their time in New York, pupils visited the moving 9/11 Memorial, taking time to reflect on the impact of that fateful day. They also had the chance to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to learn some of the extraordinary individual stories of immigration to the USA. Their action-packed trip included a trip up the Empire State Building, where pupils were graced with mesmerising views of the city’s imposing skyline, an incredible new attraction that flies you through New York, Rise NY, and a fascinating and informative walking tour of Harlem, as well as all the unmissable sights, Grand Central Station, Central Park, Wall Street and Times Square. The Design students also squeezed in a visit to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum. Of course, no trip to the Big Apple would be complete without a show on Broadway and everyone enjoyed the musical comedy The Book Of Mormon.

Then it was on to Washington where the group explored its many amazing monuments by moonlight, including the imposing Lincoln Memorial with its Reflecting Pool. They were also entertained by a team scavenger hunt around the American capital and had the chance to visit subject specific museums. History visited the National Museum of American History where they saw the original Star-spangled flag and the National Museum of African American History & Culture Museum which supported their GCSE and A-level studies of Slavery, Civil Rights and Obama’s election. Product Design students enjoyed the National Building Museum and Fashion Design students the George Washington Textiles Museum. Everyone was impressed by the White House Visitor Centre.

Head of History and Politics, Adelaide Fretwell, said, “We had an unforgettable and educationally inspiring seven days, and despite walking what felt like a thousand miles, we had an amazing time. Thank you to a fantastic group of pupils and dedicated staff team, the laughter, smiles and looks of awe never stopped – truly a trip of a lifetime.”

Our thanks go to all the staff who accompanied the trip: Adelaide Fretwell, Paul Scopes, Jess Newborough, Greg Lyttle and Helen Pascoe-Williams.