Most clubs at OHS offer beneficial academic and social opportunities for students’ futures, and are healthy ways for them to participate in and engage with what the school has to offer.
The World Traveler’s Club, however, differentiates itself from other clubs due to its focus on so much more than just academics. This club allows adventurous students to fulfill their personal goals by traveling to well-known countries and landmarks.
“These trips are a really great opportunity for students to connect their learning in the classroom with the real world. It’s also really fun to see the kids get out of their shells and grow as human beings,” said Taylor Griffith, social studies teacher and head of the World Traveler’s Club.
The club also has a way of getting students to open up about their personalities and truly be themselves, which might help them feel more comfortable with the people around them at school. There is a large sense of freedom when being in another country, because every responsibility is left behind.
“You’re kind of finding yourself and becoming your own individual person away from whoever’s in charge of you, and you have that freedom to do things that you wouldn’t have if you were just staying at home,” said Marena Trusso, social studies teacher and head of the World Traveler’s Club.
These trips can provide students with a broader perspective of life outside of the country and how it can be very different from the ways Americans live.
“You get to experience the way people live throughout the rest of the world, and sometimes it’s really cool and eye-opening to see,” Trusso said.
These trips allow students to interact with other people, which can enable them to meet new people and spark new friendships, potentially broadening their sociability and personal skills.
“It was great to meet a lot of new people. I didn’t know that half of the people that were in the club even went to the school, so it was nice to be able to connect with other people,” said Danica Davis, senior.
The World Traveler’s Club would not be possible without EF Educational Tours. This program funds the trips, with its primary focus on students and makes sure they are safe and having fun while also still learning something.
“I like that it’s youth-centered. When they do all the planning and everything, they’re truly thinking about the kids going on a trip, what they would be interested in, and how to make it the most fun for them,” Griffith said.
The World Traveler’s Club is an excellent learning experience for the students involved, teaching them many important values that might be impossible to understand if they have never traveled before. These trips could also be a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience for students.
“I went on the Italy and Greece trip this past summer, and the trip to Italy had to be my favorite of all time,” Davis said. “It was something straight out of a Pinterest board. It was awesome because it was something that I’d never been able to experience before.”
