Eighth Grade Travels to Montreal in Return of TA Tradition
May 02, 2024
The annual middle school trip is a longstanding TA tradition, designed to build class community and provide students hands-on learning experiences in new places. It’s been a few years, though, since our students have had the opportunity to travel together. This year’s eighth grade team was determined to bring the tradition back from its pandemic pause and spent months planning a new travel experience for students – a three-day trip to Montreal, Quebec.
On April 17, it was time to hit the road. Thirty-one students and six of their teachers boarded a tour bus and departed TA for their international adventure, a first for many students. The group’s schedule was packed with explorations of science, history, and the arts. Students visited Montreal’s famed Biodome, touring through four distinct ecosystems and captivated by everything from gigantic sturgeon to penguins. They visited the historic Notre Dame Basilica church, participated in a Latin American percussion workshop at Espaces des Arts, and had a fun wander around Montreal’s Chinatown.
Navigating a big city together gave students a variety of real-world experiences and skill building opportunities. They learned how to travel with peers and make compromises for the group. They were exposed to cultural differences, utilized the city’s Metro to get around, and had interactions with border patrol. Not surprisingly, though, it was the experience of trying new foods (especially poutine!) that many enjoyed most.
We are grateful to the students and parents who so worked hard to make this trip possible. Thank you for selling poinsettias and pies, volunteering your time with the Thetford Academy Alumni Association, and for managing concessions at sporting events. These efforts, along with a generous donation from the Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation, meant that you raised enough money to ensure every TA student would have access to this important opportunity.
It’s our hope that this trip sparks a life-long love of travel and learning for our students. We hope that in 2028 as our current eighth grade students are getting ready to graduate from high school, they will look back on the trip as not only a fun adventure, but an important step in their journey toward adulthood.
