On and off since the mid 1980’s, Kennedy Catholic Gaels have had the privilege and opportunity to explore the European continent guided by their trusted faculty leaders. These trips foster cultural literacy, leadership and independence, and ultimately help students on their path to becoming engaged global citizens.
Kennedy students are exposed to the skills upon which traveling internationally relies: organization, responsibility, punctuality, endurance and respect. Graduates who partook in European excursions as high school juniors and seniors have the confidence and enthusiasm necessary to pursue study abroad during their undergraduate education, and develop a lifetime love of traveling.
The tradition continued in April 2023 when a group of 41 Gaels jetset from New York to Europe for a ten day cultural excursion, guided by a team of Kennedy Catholic faculty, staff and family.
When the four sophomores, 11 juniors and 25 seniors and their chaperones landed in Barcelona, Spain, they fought bravely through jet lag to travel further to La Rambla, the bustling heart of Spain’s second largest city. While there, they toured Barri Gòtic, the Gothic Quarter, took in the architecture of Antoni Gaudí at Parc Guell and La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, and visited the Picasso Museum.
Just two days into their journey, they set out north to cross the Pyrénées into Provence in southern France. Passing through the countryside as it slowly changed from the arid Spanish climate to the lush French landscape, the group stopped in the medieval town of Carcassonne, whose ramparts and towers are so well preserved that they have been featured in movies. Upon arrival in Avignon, the picturesque medieval “City of Popes,” the group enjoyed authentic French cuisine and a stroll around the piazza.
The next morning the group of excited Kennedy travelers celebrated Easter Mass in a chapel next to the Palais des Papes and then spent the rest of the afternoon on horseback, leisurely riding along the bay in Camargue. Before they knew it, it was time to travel on one of Europe’s fastest trains further north to their final destination: the City of Light, Paris. The Gaels’ Parisian days began with a tour of the Marais, one of the oldest districts in the city, followed by a walk far underneath the city into the Catacombs. The group enjoyed a lesson in French cuisine complete with a crepe making station, fried camembert and pastry assembly before heading to Sainte-Chapelle with its spectacular stained glass windows. The trip concluded with a nighttime ascension to the second level of the Eiffel Tower.
Kennedy Catholic partners with ACIS, the American Council for International Studies, to provide exceptional educational journeys for students. ACIS provides a full itinerary complete with transportation, cultural site bookings, and a knowledgeable local guide who travels with the group for the entirety of the trip. Shout out to Cecilia, ACIS travel expert, as well as Mrs. Katie Glembotzky P’16, group leader and mastermind behind the program’s success, and chaperones Mr. Marty Glembotzky P’16, Dr. Illaria Tedesco, Mrs. Patrizia Venturini, and Ms. Noelle Torre ’14.
Look out for the Gaels traveling to Greece in the Spring of 2024 and follow their adventures on Instagram @KCPSGaelsAbroad.