Students travel to Italy for Cultural and Historical Learning Experience

In July, 23 middle and high school students traveled to Italy through Education First Tours. It's an organization that designs tours to help educators teach, and students learn more about the culture and history of different areas. Teachers Ms. Jill Brickner, Ms. Brooklyn Plagge, Mrs. Shannon Fortune, and several parents/guardians also went on the trip. 

Some of the activities the group participated in included a Southern Italy Cuisine and Culture Tour and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea.

In Rome, students saw the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the Vatican, and the Colosseum. They also took an Italian Cooking class where they made pasta and tiramisu from scratch.

Then, in Capua, they visited a Gladiator Museum and Amphitheater. As well as a Buffalo Mozzarella farm where they learned how to make mozzarella. They also fed a baby buffalo.

While exploring Benevento, students visited a small family-owned chocolate factory where they demonstrated how the Croccantino candies are made. Then, the group traveled to Matera where they toured Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario and Chiese Rupestri.

After, they went to Bari where they took another walking food tour while visiting the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and Bari Cathedral. They also traveled to Ostuni where they had a beautiful tour of the city and visited an olive farm where they taste-tested different types of olive oils.

"Seeing the students interact with a foreign language and culture was such a heartwarming moment," said 7th-grade Social Studies Teacher Shannon Fortune. 

The next trip FFC8 students will participate in is traveling to Ireland/England in June of 2024.