Horizon Honors is offering its students – high school and middle school alike – the chance of a lifetime to experience another part of the country or even of the world. As of 2014, Horizon Honors is offering four separate trips: Catalina Island, New York City, Europe, and Washington D.C. To exhibit these wide range of trips available, Horizon Honors provided a travel club meeting on Aug. 7 to inform parents in regards to the trips available.

Headed by the middle school humanities teacher Davina Baird, middle school students have the opportunity to experience our nation’s capital during Spring Break. Highlights of the five-day excursion range from somber and reflective memorials such as: Lincoln Memorial, the Holocaust Museum, and Arlington National Cemetery; to the classic sites of the city including: the Capitol, the White House, and the Supreme Court; informative museums, especially the Smithsonian museums; and areas reminiscent of the past, which would be Mount Vernon and Colonial Williamsburg. Through EF Tours, a reputable company used by Horizon Honors for many previous trips, Horizon Honors middle school students will return with many memorable experiences. If interested, attend the meeting specifically for that trip on Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. in room 105.

A quickly approaching trip is the Catalina Island option, where students will get to encounter nature in a new way with the trained staff on the island just off the coast of California. With snorkeling, hiking, tide-pooling, and observing wildlife, this trip is wilderness-centric as well as hosted through the Wilderness Club. The trip is from Oct. 16 to 19, therefore preparation for the trip will begin shortly. Jessica Davis, a chaperone for last year’s trip, discussed the wonderful experiences she had the previous year, like night-snorkeling. Davis described the trip as “the most amazing trip.” Students will attend meetings over lunch in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, contact Gregor Dieterle, the trip’s coordinator.

This year’s sole international expedition is the Europe trip to Italy and Switzerland by EF Tours. Janet McKinney, the trip’s coordinator, outlined several of the highlights during the meeting: the Lion Monument in Lucerne, Lake Como near Bellagio, St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Duomo in Florence, and the Colosseum in Rome. As well as being the longest, it also is the most expensive. This year, every trip is  tax-credit eligible. Attending the meeting on August 12 at 7 p.m in room 217 will clarify any questions in regards international traveling, prices, and other questions raised in regards to the trip. The ten-day to embark on spring break is considered to be a rewarding opportunity.

The newest addition to Horizon Honors’ travel suite is the New York City trip, centered around the artistic side of the iconic city. During spring break as well, this trip will be six days packed full with workshops in the arts and all of the city’s must-see destinations. It offers a chance to visit the Empire State Building, experience Chinatown, watch three broadway shows, see the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and numerous other places. Like the other two trips (Washington D.C. and Europe), it is both through EF tours and tax credit eligible. Any questions can be directed to Ann Shaheen, the trip director – attend the meeting in rooms 101-102 on August 12 at 7 p.m. if interested.

The opportunities Horizon Honors is offering its students are bountiful this year. All trip directors speak greatly of the benefits from national and international travel as seen from years past. If interested, attend the respective meetings to the trips.