Student Life
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Since 2010, Mr. and Mrs. Heggood have taken students on summer tours of European countries. Here is a look into their experiences and upcoming plans. By WALKER MILLER, Student Life Reporter iiiiiOther students undertaking this voyage are excited to vacation abroad with friends and classmates from Stanton, which can add fun to international travel. iiiii“I’ve never been to Europe, and I thought it would be interesting to go with a group of people I know from my school,” said junior Karissa Dugan, who is signed up for this year’s trip. iiiiiMr. Heggood expects fifteen to twenty travelers to sign up for the tour, a large group to supervise in comparison to past years. Chaperoning these groups of students in foreign nations has been a unique experience for the Heggoods. iiiii“It’s very different than getting to know students in the classroom, and you’re with them in a lot of...conditions that would never occur otherwise,” said Mrs. Heggood. iiiiiShe recalled how in 2013 their group was left stranded in Paris after their tour bus driver was pulled over and arrested for violating French labor laws. The union regulations in
It was really fascinating to watch [the students] see what they learned in their history classes become alive. —Mrs. Sheila Heggood France are just one example of the cultural differences encountered while on a tour. Mrs. Heggood also mentioned learning how the concept of courtesy in public spaces differs between Italy and the United States. iiiii“The idea we have of personal space is very different from the idea there, where it’s not an affront if you get jostled,” Mrs. Heggood said. iiiiiCrowds are a recurring element of the Heggoods’ journeys. In London’s Tralfagar Square, the group stumbled on the world premiere of the final “Harry Potter” movie. iiiii“The actors were there and the streets were just lined
with people waiting for the actors to come out,” said Mrs. Heggood. “We literally had to drag away one girl who was a huge Harry Potter fan.” iiiiiMr. Heggood cited an instance when they were staying in the Italian town of Montecatini and happened upon a celebration in the village center. iiiii“It just so happened they had a parade that was going on,” said Mr. Heggood. “We all got some gelato, and that was fun.” iiiiiNeither of the Heggoods could name a definite favorite place or moment from their voyages, but both teachers agree it is rewarding to have the chance to introduce foreign travel to their students. iiiii“You get to share the experience of travel,” said Mr. Heggood. “We’ve taken students on their first flights before.” iiiiiMr. Heggood firmly believes the trips to Europe help fulfill his and Mrs. Heggood’s roles as educators. iiiii“As teachers, the idea is that we are preparing you to go out and explore the world,” said Mr. Heggood. “This is a way to see a little bit more of it.” iiiiiThe students who have this opportunity to travel abroad hope to explore the world while broadening their own perspectives.
photos courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Heggood
iiiiiAs glamorous as it may be, international travel is rarely available for teenagers. According to a 2012 survey by the Association of International Educators, less than one percent of Florida students have ever traveled abroad for educational purposes. Each summer, however, a group of Stanton College Preparatory School students get an opportunity to experience a unique perspective of foreign history and culture. This experience comes in the form of a trip to Europe organized by Mr. Brian Heggood, an Advanced Placement European History and International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge 2 teacher. iiiii“We get to share the experience of history and culture with students that might never have left Jacksonville before,” said Mr. Heggood. iiiiiMr. Heggood believes many classes can be supplemented with foreign travel, including Advanced Placement Human Geography and English. His wife, Mrs. Sheila Heggood, who teaches Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition, Great Books Honors and Debate 1 and 2 at Stanton, agrees with this belief. iiiii“It was really fascinating to watch [the students] see what they learned in their history classes become alive,” said Mrs. Heggood, referring to one year’s trip when the group visited several cities in Italy including Rome, Florence and Pisa. iiiiiMrs. Heggood has accompanied Mr. Heggood on the trips he has organized thus far, the first of which occurred in the summer of 2010 after a group of sophomores asked Mr. Heggood to sponsor such a trip. iiiii“We have the time to travel in the summer, and I love talking about history and culture with my students, so why not?” said Mr. Heggood. iiiiiThe countries the students have previously visited include Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark. This year’s trip is called “Europe’s Mediterranean Coast.” According to Mr. Heggood, the nine-day itinerary begins in Milan, Italy and ends in Barcelona, Spain. The cost is set at $3,385 per person with the departure on June 15 and the return on June 23. Along the way, the tour will stop in exotic destinations such as the French Riviera, Monaco and the Cinque Terre region in coastal Italy. iiiiiAfter his original field trip to Italy, Mr. Heggood decided to keep taking students to Europe for the valuable experiences which occur when traveling abroad. iiiii“Every time people get a chance to travel, it’s definitely broadening,” said Mr. Heggood, citing his personal vacations to Paris with Mrs. Heggood. iiiiiStudents who decide to go on these trips to Europe consistently mention the exciting cultures of foreign nations as a key motivation for paying for the costly tour. iiiii“I’ve been to Europe before and I’ve traveled with EF Tours before, and I love traveling to other countries and experiencing their culture,” said junior Jeanette Macias, one of four students currently registered for this year’s trip. A glimpse into the Heggoods’ journeys (clockwise from left): Copenhagen, Denmark (2013), Paris, France (2012), Barcelona, Spain (2011)
october 2015
devil’s advocate | 9