Interested in traveling around the world? There are plenty of opportunities at the OHS! If  interested in world history, have taken or are taking a world language class, these may be the trips for you.

The Germany trip this year is June 9- June 30, with Ms. Jokela-Moskovits. Students are required to have completed courses through at least German Two and be a sophomore or a junior. Sixteen students will be going on this trip. They have been paired with German teenagers in Göppingen, Germany, and they will live with their partner’s family and attend school with their partner for three weeks. The German partners will then stay with the American students for about three weeks at the beginning of the next school year. They cannot have seniors because they cannot host in the fall. Ms.Jokela said, “This trip offers students a very authentic cultural experience because students get to stay with their host partners and experience daily life in Germany. Many students who have been on this trip make lifelong friendships with their German partners, and they appreciate the new global perspective they gained from experiencing life in another country.” The next trip will be after the 2016-2017 school year, and if interested, stop in and talk to Ms. Jokela-Moskovits in C306.

The Costa Rica trip is open to students who have completed courses through Spanish II. The trip is planned for after graduation of June 2016. There will be a week family stay and a week of travel, seeing volcanos, rainforests, coffee plantations and beaches. When asked expectations of the trip, Señora said, “That all students behave as ambassadors of Owatonna, MN, United States, improve their Spanish skills and make new friends and memories.”  Possible activities may include zip lining, whitewater rafting and horseback riding. If signed up before June 1, 2015, or host a student from Spain, France or Switzerland this summer, a $100-200 discount off the trip price will be awarded. For any other information, see See Señora Snyder Roberts in room C305.

The France trip is open to any students and currently has 17 students signed up. The trip is planned for June 14- June 30, 2016, with Mlle. Herr. The group of students started fundraising at the beginning of the school year, with pancake breakfasts, butter braids, puffins and yankee candles. Mlle Herr said, “I’m excited to see the students actually explore the real France and its culture.” The group will be visiting Paris, Monaco, Nice, Loire Valley, Normandy, St. Malo and a three day extension to London. For any other information or questions, visit Mlle Herr in C201.

The Rome and Greece trip will be June 25, through July 3, 2016. There are currently nine students signed up. Ms. Halverson said, “We do fundraising, like candles and poinsettias around the holidays, a spaghetti dinner in the spring, and we are still looking for another fundraiser to replace our candy bar sales which was our biggest fundraiser in the past.” The final deadline to sign up is October 26, 2015. To sign up or ask any questions, visit Ms. Halverson in A308.