As March break approaches, students prepare to travel around the world for academic, athletic, and cultural opportunities. Each year, the school continues to expand its offerings, ensuring that students can gain hands-on learning beyond the classroom. Classics in Greece, Hotchkiss in England, and Hotchkiss in Arizona are three new additions to this year’s spring break lineup.
The Travel Committee reviews 15 to 18 proposals every year and chooses eight to ten programs based on their content, safety, and accessibility. The committee includes Mr. Andrew D’Ambrosio, dean of students; Ms. Sandy Lynch, chief financial officer; Dr. Amber Douglas, associate head of school; Mr. Daymyen Layne, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion; and Mr. Dave Thompson, director of the international programs; and Ms. Jingzia Yang, instructor in Chinese.
The programs are categorized into two main types: Hotchkiss in the World and Athletics. Mr.Thompson said, “We hope to see the experiences gained by students brought back into the classroom, the hallways or the playing fields here on campus.”
Classics in Greece will allow students to explore ancient Greek art and literature. Mr. David Conti, organizer of the trip, said, “It’s one thing to read about Mycenae. It’s another thing to stand in the ruins of Mycenae at the Lion Gate and read a section of Aeschylus about Agamemnon.”
Hotchkiss in Arizona will offer high-altitude training for cross-country and track runners as well as community service opportunities.
Hotchkiss in England will feature tours of literary sites in Yorkshire, the Lake District, and the Peaks District. Nabiha Rahim ’26, one of the 12 students traveling to England this break, said, “The influence of nature on literature has always inspired me, and I want to experience first-hand the places that shaped the works of so many famous writers.”
Varsity Baseball and Girls and Boys Varsity Lacrosse will travel to Florida for preseason training and team bonding. Varsity Rowing will travel to Massachusetts and Varsity Sailing and Varsity Tennis will train in San Diego, California. Coxswain Hermione Wu ’27, who joined last year’s preseason rowing trip, said, “It was incredibly rewarding—I improved my skills more than expected, built a great routine with the team, and had so much fun.”
Programs will start departing on March 7.
