Bishop Noll brings back the spring break travel abroad program after 3 years. 

          Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, BNI was not able to offer international spring break trips to students and parents. Although the majority of the students have never even heard of Bishop Noll offering this experience, it’s back just in time for spring break 2023.

          Travel Enthusiast, Mr. Gleason, who is in his sophomore year of teaching at Bishop Noll, has taken up the position of head organizer for the program, which is traveling through Education First Tours.

          “We traveled with this company to France and Spain prior to the pandemic,” says Gleason. “They reached out to me earlier this year, I thought it made a lot of sense to stick with them.”

          It was announced during the end of the 2021-2022 school year that the group would be traveling to Peru, but due to unforeseen circumstances in relation to the political climate of the country, plans had to change.  Just recently, students and parents were alerted they would now be traveling to Switzerland, Italy, and France. The short-notice change left all future attendees in a stressful situation. Although this might have been the case, students and teachers alike are excited for the new destinations nonetheless. 

           “On the Europe trip we are seeing the Sistine Chapel, the ruins of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance, the mountains of Switzerland and the fields of France,” says Gleason. “How could you not be inspired to think about the world a little differently? My hope is that these trips start that journey for our students.”

          In the upcoming years, Gleason, along with the student body and other teachers attending the trips such as Mr. Watrobka, hopes to expand the horizons of resident BNI travelers. The 2024 spring break trip has even already been decided, that country being Japan. Even though next years trip planning is already underway, Mr. Gleason is looking ahead to choosing destinations for 2025, and possibly 2026. 

          “I’m open to suggestions! I have had a lot of requests for Paris. I also think we’re due for a Latin America trip one way or another, and Peru + Macchu Picchu will still be there after the current trouble is over,” says Gleason.