Past Programs
FRANCE AND SPAIN – May/June 2025
Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School
Students toured France and Spain, staying in Paris, Provence, and Barcelona. They saw Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides, the Eiffel Tower, and Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Students also visited the Louvre Museum and enjoyed a Seine River Cruise during their stay in Paris. In Provence, students visited the Papal Palace, Point du Gard, and Nimes Amphitheater, while touring Avignon and Nimes. During their stay in Barcelona, students toured Carcassonne and Las Ramblas, seeing sites such as La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, La Pedrera, and the Picasso Museum.
ENGLAND AND NETHERLANDS – May 2025
The Arts and Humanities Program toured London and visited the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tower of London, Tate Modern Museum, Camden Market, and the National Gallery. While touring London, participants saw Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus. Participants traveled to Amsterdam and toured the Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Museumplein, Stedelijk Museum, Van Gogh Museum, and the STRAAT Museum. From Amsterdam, participants did a day trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, and Volendam to explore the Dutch countryside.
MOROCCO – May 2025
The Business and Humanities Program toured the heart of Morocco, including stops in Casablanca, Rabat, Ait Benhaddou, Meknes, Chefchaouen, Fes, Ouarzazate, Merzouga, and Marrakech. While touring, participants visited Hassan II Mosque, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, and Jemaa El Fna Square. Participants enjoyed a camel trek into the Sahara Desert, where they could go glamping in luxury tents. Participants could engage with Moroccan society by visiting local businesses and exploring museums. Business visits included women-owned businesses for Argan oil and Berber rugs.
ITALY – March 2025
The Early Childhood Education Program included visits to the origins of prominent curriculum approaches such as Reggio Emilia and Montessori. Program participants visited major cities in Italy, including Venice, Florence, Rome, and Bologna. Participants toured the Accademia Gallery, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum, and the Vatican. To trace the roots of Maria Montessori’s development of the Montessori method of education, the program visited Perugia, which is the home to the Montessori Training Center. They visited Reggio Emilia, which includes the Loris Malaguzzi Center, a living manifesto of the Reggio Emilia approach to education and learning. While visiting Perugia and Rome, participants visited classrooms to observe the Montessori approach.
ITALY, GREECE & SPAIN – June 2024
Lakeland Collegiate High School
Students explored the early history of Western civilization while touring Italy and Greece. In Italy, students toured Rome and Florence. They visited the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. In Greece, students toured the Meteora Region, Delphi, and Athens. They visited the Meteora Monasteries; Temples of Apollo, Olympian Zeus, and Athena Nike; Delphi Museum; Parthenon and Acropolis Museum. Students also traveled to Spain to tour Madrid and Toledo visiting sites such as the Palacio Real, Prado, and the Toledo Cathedral.
JAPAN – May 2024
On our first program to Japan, students traveled to Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Mount Komagatake, and Lake Ashi. Students visited historical sites such as the Meiji Shrine, Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum, Fujisan World Heritage Center, Hakone National Park, Tsukiji Fish Market, Harajuku, Shibuya, and Shinjuku Districts.
FRANCE – May 2024
The French and Humanities Study Abroad Program included an extended 9-night stay in Paris, where students familiarized themselves with the city’s many resources there (subway, museums, parks, markets, monuments, neighborhoods) and nearby (Versailles; Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny; Brittany) using public transportation. Students observed some of the preparations for the Summer of 2024.
The program also included the high-speed train to France’s oldest city, Marseilles, for another 5 days to explore Provence (southern France), a ferry to the Chateau d ‘If in the Mediterranean, and following in the footsteps of the painters Cezanne and Van Gogh in Arles and Aix-en Provence.
MERIDA – November 2022
As part of the 100,000 Strong in the America’s Grant, students gained exposure to cultural, linguistic, and business management training in a one-week study abroad session at Instituto Tecnologico de Merida. PSC students collaborated with ITM students prior to the trip to learn and coordinate activities that build toward business visits in Merida. Students conducted research and participated in cultural activities in Merida.
COSTA RICA – July 2019
Students gained experience in environmental science and anthropology while touring San Jose, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, and Punta Mona. Students visited Cahuita National Park, Bribri Village, a sloth sanctuary, a jaguar rescue center, and a cacao farm. Students learned about birding, permaculture, sustainable systems, harvesting/garden, maintenance, food forestry, medicinal plants, pollinator plants, and Afro-Caribbean herbal medicines.
ITALY – June 2019
In this Humanities Program, students toured Rome, Florence, and Venice. This program included the historical and cultural aspects of the 3 cities: from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum to Vatican City in Rome, to the art and architecture in Florence, all the way to the canals and beauty in Venice.
PARIS, NORMANDY & LONDON – June 2019
Lakeland Collegiate High School
Students explored the historical and cultural aspects of Paris, Normandy, and London. They visited sites such as Notre-Dame Cathedral, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Champs-Elysees, Eiffel Tower, Caen Memorial, D-Day Beaches of Normandy, Pointe du Hoc, American Cemetery in Coleville, Arromanches, Canterbury Cathedral, Big Ben, Parliament, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle.
FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN -May 2019
Students traveled to Barcelona, Carcassonne, Nice, Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Florence to learn about ancient architectural ruins, art, and cultural traditions. Students visited locations like the La Sagrada Familia, Montjuic, Barcelona Cathedral, Park Guell, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Baptistery of St. John, Pisa Cathedral, Piazza della Signoria, and Ponte Vecchio.
LONDON – May 2019
In the Business Program, students toured the financial and entrepreneurial capital city of London. While touring London, students visited businesses and attended business lectures. Touring locations included Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Buckingham Palace
FRANCE – May 2019
Students toured Marseille and Paris to discover the historical and cultural aspects of these two cities. Students visited historical locations such as Notre Dame de la Garde, les Calanques, les Isles du Frioul, Aix-En-Provence, Notre Dame, Louvre, and Eiffel Tower along with a cruise on the River Seine.
GUADELOUPE – March 2019
Students gained experience in environmental and ocean sciences while visiting Guadeloupe. Polk State students worked with students from the University of Antilles to collect water samples using robotic remote-controlled vehicles, analyzed the samples, and recorded the data.
CZECH REPUBLIC, AUSTRIA & GERMANY – JULY/AUGUST 2018
Students explored art, ceramics, and music while touring Prague, Vienna, and Berlin. The program covered the historical and cultural aspects of these Central European cities. Students toured the Berlin Wall, Museum Island, Meissen Porcelain, State Opera, Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, and many other sites involving art, ceramics, and music.
ITALY – July 2018
In this Humanities Program, students toured Florence and Rome. Along with the art of Michelangelo within the Vatican, students toured the spots of Rome that forged an empire. From the Colosseum to the Pantheon, students explored the legendary art and architecture that is Rome.
SCOTLAND – June 2018
Students gained experience in Photography and Art while visiting a variety of locations in Scotland. They toured Edinburgh Castle, Aberdeen, Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Braemar Castle, and Eilean Donan Castle, and rode the Jacobite Steam Train (Hogwarts Express).
SPAIN – May 2018
Students with interests in Spanish culture toured Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Costa del Sol, Seville, Seville, Toledo and Madrid. While touring they visited Las Ramblas, La Sagrada Familia, Montjic, Gothic Quarter, Barcelona Cathedral, Park Guell, Alhambra, Seville Cathedral, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Oriente, Royal Palace, Prado, Church of Santo Tome and the Toledo Cathedral.
ITALY AND GREECE – May 2018
In this Humanities Program, students toured Rome, Sorrento, Pompeii, Patras, Delphi, and Athens. Students visited historical sites such as the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Temple of Apollo, Acropolis, Olympic Stadium, Temple of Athena Nike, and Parthenon.
Guadeloupe- November 2017
- Students gained experience in Science by partnering with the University of Antilles in Guadeloupe. Both colleges have collaborated in an ongoing water quality sampling experiment. Students were able to snorkel, tour the historical and cultural aspects of the island, and also hiked the Volcano.
England – October 2017
- Students gained experience in humanities and worked with archaeologist David Jacques in Amesbury, England at the Blick Mead dig site. Students toured Stonehenge, Salisbury, Old Sarum, the British Museum, and the Tower of London.
France – June 2017
- Students gained experience in Aerospace while attending the largest air show, the Paris Air Show.
Scotland – June 2017
- Students gained experience in Photography and Art while visiting a variety of castles in Scotland. While touring they visited Edinburgh Castle, Aberdeen, Blair Castle, Glamis Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Balmoral Castle, Braemar Castle, Cawdor Castle, Dunvegan Castle, Loch Ness, Glencoe, Eilean Donan Castle, Stirling Castle and Inveraray Castle.
Canada – May 2017
- Students attended two dramas and two musicals at the Stratford Festival. While attending the festival, students took a backstage and costume warehouse tour. Students also took a city tour of Toronto.
France – May 2017
- Students toured Marseille and Paris to discover the historical and cultural aspects of these two cities. While touring they visited Notre Dame de la Garde, les Calanques, les Isles du Frioul, Aix-En-Provence, Notre Dame, Louvre, and River Seine Cruise.o Marseille and Paris where they were able to compare and contrast these two cities.