By Dom DeCerbo ’26, Ryan Graham ’26 and Ethan Moreland ‘26
The London trip this year was one of the best experiences our school has to offer. A group of 12th-grade students had the chance to travel together, explore some of the most famous places in the world, and learn far more than we expected.
One of the SP students on the trip, Ethan Moreland ’26, reflected on his experience, saying he was amazed by the people and places they encountered. “During my trip to London, I had a great experience,” Ethan said. “I was able to see great architecture and was able to experience extremely sweet people. I saw Big Ben, the huge clock tower. There were many things that opened my eyes. To me, the people were a lot kinder than here in America. We all had so much fun.”
He also admitted he hadn’t expected to enjoy the trip as much as he did. “As a very athletic and sports-minded individual, you would think someone like me would not have a great time on a trip based around English and Shakespeare,” Ethan said. “Besides the plane ride, this trip was 100% worth it, and my favorite part was the Twelfth Night play, which helped spark a passion for Shakespeare in me.”
Many of us felt the same way at first. We thought the plays might be boring. But seeing Twelfth Night live ended up being one of the biggest highlights of the trip. Even students who don’t usually love English class came away with a deeper appreciation for it after watching Shakespeare performed on stage.
Traveler Stansberry ’26 described the trip as “very eye-opening,” which might be the best way to put it. London is a completely different world from home. People walk everywhere, the subways are always busy, and navigating through side streets and train stations was a whole new experience for many of us.
The trip was open to both SP and SPSG students, which made the experience even more special. Lily Bouchard ’26 called it “very enlightening,” saying she loved seeing historical architecture that was older than the United States itself. She also mentioned that attending a service at Westminster Abbey was an “awesome and spiritual experience.”
Dr. Joshua Harris, one of the trip leaders, said, “Leading our students through London and Oxford—from wandering the halls of Merton College to The boundless galleries of Tate Britain, from seeing Twelfth Night at The Globe, and hearing Evensong sung at Westminster Abbey beside the remains of Shakespeare, the Brontës, and Dickens—we all had the chance to see some of the sites (and sights) that inspired many of English Literature’s greatest writers.”
By the time we got back home, everyone agreed that the trip was totally worth it. We learned about history, literature, and culture, but we also just had fun exploring an incredible city with our friends. London was, without a doubt, a great experience for all of us.
Photos by Dom DeCerbo and Ethan Moreland
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