The following column is by Bear Creek Secondary School co-op student Bridgette Gilroy.
Words can’t describe how excited I am to attend Bear Creek Secondary School’s arts trip to New York, a five-day expedition filled head-to-toe with thrilling tours and compelling performances.
We will be travelling alongside students from Eastview Secondary School. Both parties are set to leave early this morning (Nov. 6) and return home on Nov. 10.
The trip has been in motion since last year and has been a popular topic of conversation among my peers ever since. From choosing what Broadway show we want to see to what places we might get to visit, not a single student isn’t over the moon.
The field trip was open to all arts students, including visual arts, dramatic arts and dance. Each form of art will be fortunate to experience activities selected specifically for their art.
Although two of the five days will be spent travelling to and from, I still find myself eager to see the rolling hills of the road and the many cities we will pass through while I enjoy the company of my friends. With a good book and my headphones, I’ll never find myself bored.
We are all very grateful to attend walking tours of mid-Manhattan, where we’ll see Times Square, MTV Studios, Radio City Music Hall and more; Central Park, where we can find the Dakota House, Strawberry Fields, and Shakespeare Garden; and Harlem, where Columbia University is located, along with the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theatre.
Drama students will be attending musical workshops conducted by a Broadway actor, dance students will enjoy a Horton-style dance class at the Ailey School, and visual art students will get a thrill out of a graffiti tour and workshop.
All students will be visiting Juilliard, the well-known private performing arts conservatory, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Perhaps the most anticipated event of the trip is the Broadway production of The Lion King, selected by our teachers for its richness in dramatic arts, dance and visuals. It is truly a unique and extraordinary experience that every student will relish.
Of course, our visit extends beyond the arts into New York's history, with sights of Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange and the 9/11 Memorial.
What’s more, there are tons of other activities planned for students that I haven’t even mentioned.
The organizers of this field trip deserve recognition for all the opportunities they have provided us with. On behalf of the party attending, we are entirely grateful and ridiculously excited for the adventure we are to embark on.
And to those who want to know more, expect to hear plenty from me on my return.
