Cantrell plans spring break trip to Italy with 11 students

Eleven of AP Literature teacher Aaron Cantrell’s seniors will travel with him to Italy this Spring Break, leaving on Mar. 24 and arriving home this Easter, on April 1.

This trip has been in the works for six months, and students have since been fundraising to lessen the cost of the trip. Each student paid about $3,400 after selling tamales, raffle tickets, and beef for V6 ranch.

The purpose behind the trip is to expose students to foreign cultures.”When you encounter other cultures, you’re 

never the same,” Cantrell said.

The group will begin in Southern Italy, and travel from Sicily to Northern Italy, eventually reaching Milan. In just over one week,  they will have worked their way up the entire length of the country.

“I think the impact will be that they will see the world is bigger and more interesting and beautiful than they had 

suspected,” Cantrell stated.

Among the seniors joining him is his son, Joe Cantrell, who didn’t know of the trip until October of 2017, leaving only five or six months to fundraise and plan it, but decided the opportunity was too good to pass up.

“I think it’s really cool; how many people can say they went to Italy for ten days?” Cantrell said.

In these ten days, students will be immersed in Italian culture in the form of museums, food, and day to day life.  

“I am most excited to see the beautiful sights of Italy and eat the food. Italy has some of the best food in the world and [it] is a huge part of their culture,” said senior Gabriella Schuster, who has been learning Italian in preparation for the trip.

Schuster added, “I am infatuated with traveling. Each place has its own culture, language, and uniqueness. Traveling opens up people’s eyes to the real world that is outside our small town. It gives new perspective of the world and what it has to offer.”