New England
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July 14, 2023
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The students, all standing in a group, admire an ornate gold-domed building

 

As soon as students on the New England High School Summer Program wrapped up Thursday’s class on Kierkegaard, they swung by the Gould Commons to grab their sunglasses, and before they knew it, they were shipping off to Boston! The kitchen had prepared sandwiches and snacks for the programmers so they could hit the road, filling up two buses to the brim. After a traveling prayer, all had a safe and smooth journey, and before they knew it, they were parked near the U.S.S. Constitution!

From there, prefects led smaller groups through the city. The plan was to walk the Freedom Trail, but in reverse, beginning with the shipyard, and ending with the Boston Common. First, they got the full scoop on Old Ironsides, the oldest commissioned warship still afloat, as well as the U.S.S. Cassin Young. Both ships were open for exploration, and students were able to see sleeping quarters, dining halls, and old iron cannons. 

With the sun high in the sky, the programmers followed the red-brick road that marked the Freedom Trail, making their way through the city. Many practiced their Boston accents and tried to see how long they could stay on the thin line of red bricks that ran along in the middle of the sidewalks.

Photos
  • Students in the bus pose for the camera
  • Students walk the Freedom Trail
  • A group of students at one of the info boards
  • Two pose for a photo
  • Students walk the Trail
  • A student poses with an actor dressed as Benjamin Franklin, who is holding a $100 bill (which depicts him)
  • Two pose together afront a statue
  • All the students pose together as a group afront picnic tables and a crepe stand
  • A group looks at something off-screen
  • Two together
  • Ten pose afront a fountain
  • Five pose for a photo
  • Students carry enormous stacks of pizza
  • Students gather in a grassy park
  • Four eat pizza in a circle on the grass
  • A student smiles for the camera
  • Two seated together pose for a photo
  • Mr. Froula chats with a student over pizza

The Freedom Trail led the group past so many important historical sights: The Bunker Hill monument rose high into the sky, and some groups went for a closer look. Students walked through Paul Revere Park and the Old North Church, where two lanterns stand on a table in the window. Many tried to see how much of “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere,” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, they had memorized.

Then came Hanover Street, where students popped into cafes for coffee, ice cream, and cannoli. The snacks were just what the group needed after a long walk in the sun. Then, the crew was at it again, visiting historical churches, gazing up at spiraling buildings, and getting some good history lessons.

At last, all found their way to the Boston Common, where they were gladly greeted with pizza and Gatorade. Now altogether, the full group of programmers picnicked on the lawn and compared their experiences. A few had bought souvenirs from gift shops, while others had taken beautiful photos of the buildings. Some of the programmers had never been to Boston; some lived in the area. But all agreed that the merry outing was an afternoon well spent! 

“I thought it was beautiful,” said attendee Ana L. “The U.S.S. Constitution was my favorite part!” 

Having their fill of pizza, the students piled back onto the buses. But far from being tired, they joined in singalongs, led by Luke Cecchi and Georgiana Egan on one bus and Jean Carlos Guerreiro and Meg Murphy on the other. Many students took over the singing themselves! One noteworthy act was a flawless Kermit the Frog impression by student Peter H., who sang “Rainbow Connection” with an impersonation that had the whole bus cheering! 

But the day’s excitement was not yet over! Instead of going to their scheduled Study Hall in the library, students arrived back on campus just in time to get into their residence halls to escape an evening summer thunderstorm! They studied in their rooms, and many decided to take advantage of the early curfew to get a good night’s sleep after the day’s long journey through Boston, AKA “the Walking City.”

While this first trip was a great success, the excitement of the Summer Program is far from over! Check in on the Summer Program Blog later today to read about our students’ last classes — featuring Pascal, Fabre, and Aquinas — before the weekend!