The Trinity Classical Academy Senior class traveled to Italy for the first-ever Trinity Senior Trip, led by Dr. Grant Horner, Trinity Humanities Chair. Since joining the Trinity faculty, Dr. Horner has championed a senior trip as a way to crown our students’ classical studies. To everyone’s delight, Florence, Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, was chosen as this year’s destination.
The students were treated to a week walking the streets once traveled by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Galileo, Machiavelli and Dante. Students said they felt like they were wandering through a vast outdoor museum where everywhere one looked, there was rich history and exquisite architecture, art and beauty. We hear there was some pretty good food as well. Gelato anyone?
Drawing from their extensive education in classical art, literature and culture, our seniors had a unique appreciation and understanding for the timeless wonders they saw.
“What an incredible trip,” said Trinity senior Kaeli Massetto. “Visiting Florence was like seeing our classical education come alive right before our eyes. Being able to translate all the Latin inscriptions that we saw was also very special.”
“A classical education gives depth and context to our understanding of the world in general and it is of specific benefit in a magnificent city like Florence, much like reading the Bible gives context to a trip to Israel,” said Grant Horner.
Following their time in Florence, the group spent a few days enjoying the beauty of the 8th century seaside village of Vernazza in Cinque Terre. With no roads or cars available, students hiked along the 1500 year-old terraced vineyards that drop into the Mediterranean Sea.
This international, ‘classically-themed’ Senior Trip will become an annual event at Trinity, which will be a highlight of the school’s classical education approach and certainly something to which all Trinity students can look forward with great anticipation.
photos by Josh Waschak, Trinity Senior