Ten Upper School students are excited to embark on a trip to China from March 14-24 during Spring Break. The busy itinerary for their adventure will begin with four days visiting partner school Shanghai Guangming High School for Chinese culture classes and activities. The group will take a high speed train to Beijing, where they will visit many cultural landmarks during the second half of the trip.
Students Aarya Patel ’25, Sevastian Castillo ’26, Pratham Gandhi ’26, Justin Lustgarten ’26, Ryan Maciorowski ’26, Nitya Sahni ’26, Lawson Shafer ’27, Sophie DeLaurentiis ’27, Nailah Frias ’27 and Rewa Gandhi ’27 will be joined by chaperones Hua Liu, Director of China Studies and Upper School Chinese teacher, and Ryan Oliveira, Head Athletic Trainer. Longtime W+H staff member Dawn Cancryn and her husband, Wayne Cancryn, will also provide support as chaperones.
“I’m most looking forward to be able to go and explore the culture of China,” Sophie said. “I have never gone before which makes it so exciting, especially since we are going to see so many different places with such a rich history. I’m also excited to be able to practice my Chinese speaking skills along with my other classmates.”
“I’m so thrilled to meet high school students from a different country,” Aarya added. “There are lots of cultural differences and I am so excited to explore them!”
In Beijing, the students and chaperones will hike along the ancient paths and breathtaking views of the Great Wall. They’ll also visit The Forbidden City and explore the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace, each offering unique glimpses into China’s royal past.
"I’m most excited about the cultural immersion; it's my favorite part of traveling. We have the incredible opportunity to experience China with the guidance of our partner school, which makes this experience even more special. Traveling is all about stepping into new cultures and I want to make sure that the students and I soak up as much of it as possible,” Mr. Oliveira said. “Let’s be real, though – food is a huge part of what makes travel amazing! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to tasting the deliciousness that comes out of a wok on the street or eating various dumplings or any of the other local delicacies. But above all, I just want to make sure our kids are safe, have an incredible time, and create memories that will stay with them forever.”