According to history teacher Jeffrey Cohen and band director Steven Schmitz, students travel to Europe and Canada during spring break.

Cohen said he will take 14 students to Europe for a 12-day trip.

“We are going to five cities in Italy and one in Switzerland, and we spend usually a day, day and a half in each city,” Cohen said.

According to Schmitz, the band students will bus to Winnipeg, Canada to stay for five days and four nights. Schmitz said there are 55 students going on the trip.

Schmitz said the students will play music with three different schools: one in Alexandria, Minnesota and two in Winnipeg.

“The main educational portion is that we have three different exchange concerts, and that means that we’re teaming up with bands,” Schmitz said. 

According to Cohen, the travelers will see several historical sights in Italy.

“We are going to see some of the wonders of the Italian Renaissance,” Cohen said.

According to Cohen, students will also be visiting Lucerne, Switzerland.

“(Lucerne) is kind of right in the middle. (It’s an) old, medieval (and) beautiful town on Lake Lucerne,” Cohen said.

Cohen said he offers a trip to Europe every year as long as students remain interested.

“I keep saying I’m going to take a break (from taking students to Europe) and the interest continues to be there,” Cohen said.

Sophomore Jaivanna Harseen said she decided to go on the band trip because of the timing and her interest in band.

“(The Winnipeg band trip) was during spring break, (and) I’m not doing anything,” Harseen said. “Band is something I’ve been doing for a while and something I really enjoy doing.”

Harseen said she was looking forward tothe trip to Canada, as it will be her first time travelling outside of the country.

“I’ve never been out of the country before, so that should be fun,” Harseen said.

Sophomore Henry Hein said he feels excited to go on the trip to Europe because he has gone to Italy before and would like to revisit places he’s been in the past.

“I don’t remember much from that trip to Europe because I was so young, and so I’m excited to go back and see all the places that I (had visited),” Hein said.

According to Schmitz, the band will leave for Winnipeg on March 23 and come back on March 27. Cohen said the students going to Europe will leave on March 22 and return April 2.