And then it happened: it was like it just clicked. Every kid, on their own, found something that peaked their interest. Some were skipping rocks, others just sitting and enjoying the view, some looking at the small bugs and fish they could find, and others trying to balance on logs.
After three years of teaching the same group of students, St. Mike’s hadn’t just become this legendary place to me, but for many of my students, too. They had heard endless stories about the place, had earned tons of SMC swag in my classroom, and had even met some of the people from my stories when they came to visit me. This led me and Sarah to decide to offer a spring break trip for students to visit the Northeast, with St. Mike’s being the big attraction.
One of my favorite aspects of traveling is sharing places I love with people who haven’t previously experienced those places. One of my favorite aspects of working in education is the opportunity to expand my students’ worldview and provide them with new experiences. When I have the chance to combine these two activities, the joy I feel is multiplied.