Calendar of Events
October
November
Travel
Costa Rica
From June 25 to July 3, 2009, 13 students and 2 teachers will be travelling to Costa Rica with EF Educational Tours.
The trip has an ecological focus with visits to the INBioparque, Poas Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall and hot springs of the Arenal Region, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest in Monteverde, and Carara National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park in the Central Pacific Coast.
There will also be a visit to the town of Sarchi in the Central Highlands, which is Costa Rica's foremost crafts center, as well as canoeing, an afternoon of horseback riding, and a jungle canopy tour. This is the first ever Villa Maria trip to Costa Rica, and we hope it will become a yearly tradition!
Europe
During the spring break, Secondary 4 and 5 students have the opportunity to expand their education by travelling to Europe. The trip is usually planned for a two week stay in order to maximize this unique experience which encourages them to become independent and opens their eyes to new surroundings, new customs and new foods. On past trips, students have had the thrill of overlooking the snow-capped Alps from Mount Pilatus in Switzerland, climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, eating delicious gelato while staring in awe at the beauty of the marble Duomo in Florence and these are only a few of the many incredible sights they discovered. They will discover the world while discovering themselves. It’s truly a transforming experience !
Mont Sainte-Anne
The annual ski trip to Mont Sainte Anne is a great opportunity for students at the secondary four and five level to enjoy the outdoors on the slopes with their friends and classmates. Rental equipment is available and ski and snowboard lessons are booked for beginners and for students who would like to improve their skills. Accommodation is conveniently located at the bottom of the mountain where each room is equipped with a kitchenette so that students can prepare their meals together. What a great way to enjoy a winter weekend! The next trip will take place in March 2010.
New York City
West Side Story on Broadway, Ellis Island and a tour of NBC studios were some of the numerous activities that kept the students busy in New York City, in Spring, 2009. It wouldn't be a trip to NYC without the chance to shop, and the students kept the street vendors afloat this year! The usually long bus ride home was greatly shortened when the students and staff shared stories about each other over the bus' crackling microphone. These and other memories made the NYC '09 trip one the students still talk about with huge smiles on their faces.
