SoRo Students Expanding Their Horizons With International Travel
By Leah Bauder

Last summer, a few South Royalton students decided to stay in school; they participated in programs for science, language, and cultural studies. With a variety of programs, came a range of different places where these studies took place. Two students traveled overseas, three to Central America and two students took a short voyage to Canada.

Junior Monica Parshley traveled to China for three weeks with the Vermont Governor’s Institute, which has seven different programs. She took part in the Asian Studies aspect and fulfilled her dream of visiting an Asian country in order to study the culture. She visited many of the large cities, climbed the Great Wall, and said she most enjoyed the protective terracotta soldiers she saw guarding the tomb of a Chinese emperor.

Melissa Cole, a senior this year, took part in the People to People program that went to Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun. During two weeks, she and the other ambassadors explored modern and traditional culture, learned the history of Japan, and also had time to view the local shopping areas.

Colin Judge, a junior, went with the North Branch Nature Center into Ecuador for a 15-day environmental study. Activities included planting trees, rappelling down mountain, and hiking. He also brushed up on his Spanish skills.

Whitney and Molly Dumville, a junior and sophomore respectively, traveled to Guatemala. For two weeks, they lived with a host family, spoke Spanish, and helped their host mother with her English, as she was still learning. One of SRHS’ foreign language teachers, Mrs. Brooks, accompanied them.

Leah Bauder and Alyssa Bingham, both juniors, went to the Canadian province of Nova Scotia for a French Immersion program at Universite St. Anne. For five weeks, they lived on a college campus, took classes every day, and were offered numerous activities to participate in.

These students have come back to South Royalton with new experiences to share and better understanding of language, science, and most importantly, world culture. Given the chance, each said they would gladly travel again.

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