In July 2017, 20 students from grades 8-11 had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the breathtaking scenery and interesting history of Quebec. Every two years Mrs. Zalewski and Mrs. Antolik take students on the annual trip. Mrs. Zalewski loves that Quebec incorporates “the best of America and Europe all in one”.

In six days the students got to experience all the French culture Canada had to offer. The adventure began in the second largest Francophone city of the world, Montreal. Then the group headed up the St. Lawrence River to the provincial Quebec City.

Many famous monuments were incorporated into this tour. Students got to see the Notre-Dame Cathedral, built in 1672 and a key structure for the Roman Catholics.

Junior Shayla Jellison really enjoyed this part of the trip. “My favorite part of this trip was visiting the Notre Dame Basilica, which was beautiful. I also enjoyed learning about Canada’s history and immersing myself in the culture”.

Students walked over a suspension bridge to witness the beauty of Montmorency Falls, a higher and narrower version of Niagara Falls. Many natives enjoy skiing over this beautiful landmark in the winter. When Senior Hannah Nemanic was asked to reflect on the trip as a whole, she listed this as one of her favorite parts. “Hiking around and down the falls was by far my favorite part,” said Hannah.

All together, the classmates got to walk along cobblestone streets, go on a ghost tour, visit multiple historic churches, eat a traditional family style meal, visit the Musee de la Civilisation, watch an historic play, and play games at the Wendake Indian Reservation. Senior Marina Lorenzi will always remember how cool it was to walk on the cobblestone. “I loved getting to walk around both cities on the old cobblestone streets because it was so old and we don’t have streets like that back at home,” Marina said.

The french students put their knowledge to good use as they regularly practiced speaking skills and broadened their French vocabulary during the course of this trip.

Senior Olivia Norman enjoyed using her intellect in a French-speaking city. “The supermarket pushed me to speak French to the vendors there. It showed me how much French I actually do know. This trip is something I will never forget and I am extremely grateful I had the opportunity to go on it,” said Olivia. Overall, this trip exceeded everyone’s expectations and is a memory they will all cherish for a lifetime.

(from left to right) Seniors Marina Lorenzi, Hannah Nemanic, Shayla Jellison, Olivia Norman, and Kaylee Wallace paused for a picture in front of the historic theater in Montreal City. The Americans participated in a non-traditional interactive play that revealed the history of Quebec.