Per usual, LHS clubs will travel across the country this summer, and between the spring and summer breaks of 2015, many clubs will visit Europe, each one embracing a different culture.
According to assistant principal Mr. Ray Albin, several summer trips have been confirmed for both this summer and next year. The trips in 2014 pertain to sports camps as well as Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and Fine Arts. All of the trips confirmed for next year pertain to both the French Exchange group and the Fine Arts department, and all of them will be in Europe.
LHS juniors Grant Dean, Sam Gold, Anmol Shah, and senior Elizabeth Woo individually qualified for the FBLA National Conference in Nashville, Tenn., which runs from June 29-July 3.
As the lone qualifier, senior Nicole Pink will be the only one competing at the FCCLA Leadership Convention in San Antonio, Tex. from July 6-10.
To round out the summer of 2014, Stageplayers will attend the Broadway Student Summit in New York City from July 14-18.
According to LHS director of theater Mr. Christopher Thomas, Stageplayers will attend eight different workshops with each one focusing on a different discipline of Broadway. For instance, one workshop will focus on dance, another on directing, and a separate one on acting. In addition, Stageplayers will watch two broadway shows, one in which is Rocky the Musical, a performance that includes a talk-back with the cast afterwards.
Mr. Thomas was lucky enough to go on a trip to the Big Apple during his tenure at his previous teaching job in Moline. After it was such a success, he kept it in mind going forward.
“It was a great experience, so it was something I wanted to offer the LHS students as well,” he said.
In 2015, the fine arts department will visit France over spring break. The trip consists of a choir and dance performance tour of France from March 27-April 3.
Junior choir member Nate McIntyre loves the thought of heading to France.
“Performing in front of a foreign audience would probably offer the audience a glimpse into the American style of choir,” he said. “They would understand how we sing our songs.”
The high school choir has already performed at the Symphony Center in Chicago. In 2015, it will perform in France.
Orchesis members, including junior Christina Reszel, will join the trip. After attending the Orchesis 2013 trip in Spain, Reszel is very excited to visit France in 2015.
“I learned a lot of dances from the Spanish culture last year, which was a very unique experience” she said. “Likewise, if I learn a lot of French dances next year, that will probably be my favorite part of the trip.”
Orchestra will be overseas from June 8-16, 2015. Their trip starts in Paris, continues in Brussels, Belgium, and concludes in Bonn, Germany. The trip includes a tour of Paris, an excursion to the Palais de Versailles, and visits to the Eiffel Tower and the Beethoven House.
Art and photography will also start their trip on June 8, 2015, and finish on June 18 on a tour of Spain. The group starts in Madrid, makes its way to Toledo, followed by Sevilla, Granada and concluding in Barcelona. Additional information on the trip is expected to be announced at a later date.
The French Exchange group trip runs from June 8-29, 2015. The 24 students in the group will start in Angers with a host family for two weeks and spend the final six days in Paris. The most anticipated of activities include visiting Mont Saint-Michel and taking tours of the country.
