For many Rocky Mount Academy High School students, Summer 2016 was one to remember. Read about a few of our students’ summer experiences below.

Grand Western Tour- Haven Ross, Virginia Wooten and Christopher Gardner

Sophomores Haven Ross, Virginia Wooten and Christopher Gardner went on the Grand Western Tour this summer. GWT takes 14 to 16 year-old students out West for a trip of a lifetime. Throughout the trip, students get to see outstanding points of historical and picturesque interest in the United States such as the Grand Canyon, Space Needle, Alcatraz, Churchill Downs and many other places. Read these short quotes from Haven and Virginia about their experience this summer.

“The Grand Western Tour was probably the best thing that ever happened to me! I traveled on a bus for five weeks with fifty-two other kids my age, and I cherished every moment of it. My favorite stops were Seattle, Washington, Jackson Hole, Wyoming and San Francisco, California. I got to see some of America’s most notable landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Redwood Forest. Most importantly, I met people who went from being strangers to some of my very best friends!” – Haven

“We were on the road for 5 weeks starting in Winston-Salem, NC and traveling west. We went through, Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, and California. After CA, we headed back towards the East Coast through Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana. There were 52 rising sophomores on the trip and now all of us are best friends. I had such a great time!” -Virginia

Costa Rica- Will Pruden

This summer, senior Will Pruden went on a biking trip down the coast of  California and also traveled to Costa Rica with his church, First United Methodist, for a mission trip. Below is a short quote from Will about one of his summer experiences.

“I went to Costa Rica with my church for a week over the summer. I had a great time seeing the country and helping the community that we stayed in during our visit.”

Stanford- Gracie Cox

Senior Gracie Cox applied for and was accepted into a Summer Program at Stanford University in California. Titled “The Age of Jefferson” they used Jefferson’s life, travels, and writings as a base and how famous contemporaries such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Hume thought about their world.

“This past summer I spent 3 weeks (June 19-July 8) at Stanford University for the Stanford Summer Humanities Institute. While I was there, I took a philosophy course entitled Truth, Reason, and Belief where I was able to enrich my philosophy skills through discussions in class, taught by Prof. Krista Lawlor- the head of Stanford’s philosophy program. We had two weekend excursions to a science museum in San Francisco and a small beach town. The program allowed me to meet many new people from all over the world and I’m so happy I was able to partake in such an amazing experience!”

Greece- Neha Baliga

Senior Neha Baliga traveled with her family to Greece. Read more about her trip below!

“This past summer my family and I traveled to Greece. In Greece, our first stop was at the capital city of Athens where we visited many sites; however, some of my favorites included the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Greek parliament house, and the Olympic stadium. After Athens, we visited smaller Greeks cities such as Olympia, Delphi, and Nafplio, in order to appreciate the famous Greek history. One of the reason I enjoyed this trip so much was because I got to connect what I learned in school about Greece and its history and literature with an actual place. In addition to this, I also enjoyed trying the Greek food and learning about a new culture.”

Washington D.C.- Emily Cheston

The U.S. Senate Page Program was started in 1829 and from the start has been an integral part of the everyday functions of the U.S. Senate. Pages are appointed by senators to serve under their respective parties. The daily life of a page begins with taking the underground Senate subway to the Capitol, signing in for work and doing virtually anything from making deliveries to various Senate Office Buildings, making amendment runs to offices all over the Capitol, making roll call runs after votes, setting up the chamber with bills, congressional records and calendars and the most routine task: getting senators their waters and lecterns before they reach the floor to speak.

“My personal experience over the five weeks was truly unforgettable. At first I was apprehensive toward the thought of leaving home without knowing what was in store for me. But after meeting so many great friends from all over the country and seeing history being made right before my eyes, I wouldn’t trade those five weeks for anything. Oftentimes it was joked that the only time we would ever have this much access to the Senate floor was if we came back as senators ourselves. Being able to listen to so many impassioned speakers, was inspiring and humbling to say the least. Seeing so many of the senators interacting with their friends across the aisle was an encouraging thing to witness amid the perceived tension between the parties especially visible this election.

Some of my most memorable moments included seeing the Dalai Lama step off of an elevator right before me, being present for part of Murphy’s 14 hour and 50 minute filibuster  — making it the ninth longest in the Senate since 1900 — and seeing so many well-known senators in person on an every-day basis. We also had the privilege of meeting with Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., and even Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.”

Belize- Thomas Moore

This summer Rocky Mount Academy Students traveled to Belize for the 2016 Global Studies trip. While there, they were able to serve the community around them, immerse in the culture and also have fun. We will be doing a separate article all about this awesome trip so be on the lookout for that. Senior Thomas Moore was one of the high students who went on the trip.

“I truly enjoyed my experience in Belize. Not only did I come back being extremely thankful for everything, I made some incredible memories with good friends. From visiting at the children’s home to swimming with sharks, I loved it all.”