Student Travel
Each year, WMA offers exciting opportunities for students to travel around the country and around the world to enhance their classroom studies. Students can explore both the differences and interconnectedness of peoples and economies from around the world and around the nation.
Travel is seen as an opportunity for WMA students to gain first-hand experience with the people, institutions and challenges of the modern world.
The specific trips offered each year vary as do their academic focus. Community service, school exchange, business and design, language immersion, ecology/conservation and visual art have each served as the focus of past trips.
As travel opportunities are seen as extensions of classroom learning, all trips require pre-trip meetings, readings and post-trip reflections in addition to work at the site.
For questions, email Wally Swanson.
Student Travel: 2023-2024
Registration for trips scheduled in 2024 has closed. Please contact Wally Swanson if you have questions.
March 2024
Greece & Sicily
Faculty Leaders: Mrs. Earls and Ms. Ryan
Welcome to the birthplace of Western civilization! Join Mrs. Earls and Mrs. Ryan on a trip to explore the ancient sites of Greece and Sicily, while experiencing their exciting and unique modern cultures. Explore the archaeological treasures of Athens and Delphi, learn how the priestess of the Temple of Apollo gave guidance to city-states and discover what makes the Mediterranean irresistible. Greece’s mix of natural beauty and ancient history make it a destination that students must see. After several days in Greece, the group will travel to Sicily, where our destinations include the archaeological sites and museums at Palermo, Solunto, Cefalu and Syracuse. We will have time for cultural explorations of beaches, promenades and quaint island shopping destinations. And, of course, who can resist Italian cuisine and gelato? Our group will benefit from a bilingual tour guide in both Greece and Sicily.
Peru
Faculty Leaders: Mr. Shea '08 and Ms. Linares
Students will fly to Lima, the capital city of this South American country. From there, students experience a city tour and the catacombs. From Lima, the group travels to Cusco, where they take a tour of the city and its markets, followed by a visit to Sacred Valley. After visits to the archaeological sites of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, the group will take the train to Aguas Calientes and end on a hike up to the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. On the return to Lima, the group will have time for rafting as well as a bike tour. This trip is open to all students, though students need to be ready for significant hiking. Studying Spanish is not required, though it will be an excellent opportunity for current Spanish students to practice their language skills.
June 2024
Costa Rica
Faculty Leaders: Mr. Wells and Mr. Held
Fun, foreign cultures and making a piece of the world a better place will fuel a nine-day trip to this treasured Central American country. After landing in San Jose, the group will travel to Camp Terraba, where they will participate in four days of service in the indigenous tribes from Broran and Mano de Tigre communities. Students will experience how to think and act to fix real world problems and find solutions. Two days in the seaside town of Manuel Antonio will include a visit to an expansive, coastal rainforest nature reserve sustaining rich wildlife and multiple marine species. In addition, there will be opportunities for kayaking, canopy ziplining and time at the beach before the group transitions back to San Jose for a final day of exploring the capital.
Nepal
Faculty Leaders: Ms. Mahoney '11 and Ms. Hutcheson
Starting in Kathmandu and ending deep in the Himalayas, our trip to Nepal will be an exploration of unique culture and geography. As the birthplace of the Buddha, Nepal has a history of religious reverence and tolerance, which we will explore by visiting ancient monasteries and getting to know the capital city, Kathmandu. Starting in the beautiful Pokhara, students will spend three-to-five days trekking the foothills of the Himalayas. We’ll do lots of adventuring and learning, in the most “hands-on” way possible, about the interplay between the environment, culture and economy. Along the way, we’ll be spending nights at “Tea Houses,” traditional Nepalese rest stops, and interact with fellow hikers and the people who have dedicated their lives to preserving access to these mountains. Students will leave Nepal with a new relationship to nature and their place in it. Note: This trip will be physically taxing. We will only be accepting students who are capable - physically and mentally - of hiking at high altitudes for days in a row.
England
Faculty Leaders: Mr. Bloomfield & Mrs. Crocker
Four students will be sponsored by the Hubbard Fund for British Cultural Travel program, which instills an appreciation for the history and culture of England and to understand through firsthand experience the connectedness of our two nations. The group spends time visiting historical sites in London and surrounding areas. This trip is generously supported by friend of the Academy Lev Hubbard. Students are only responsible for $500 and all other costs (flights, lodging, meals) are taken care of by Mr. Hubbard.
It truly was the experience of a lifetime ... Our train ride through the Alps was incredible, and I couldn’t believe we were still on Earth; it felt like we were on Pandora from Avatar.
- Jack H. '23
Student Travel: 'Oh, the places we've been'
Amazon?
Cambodia?
India?
Namibia?
Peru?
South Africa?
Check out photo galleries from recent trips.