What is your favorite travel memory?
For me my favorite travel memory was from the first year I taught on the programs. We were in Italy, and they were having a record hot summer. We all took a break from classes and went on a hike through the breathtaking hills of Cinque Terre, playing music, drinking ALL the water, and cheering each other on as we made our way to Monterosso. We stopped there to eat and dive into the sparkling Mediterranean. We bonded and conquered the Italian sun and we're richly rewarded! Such a great time!
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
A shared experience that both staff and students have is the level of familiarity with the location that these programs provide. Because I have lived like a local in numerous cities around the world, I feel at home all around the world. With that familiarity comes a sense of confidence in all areas of life and I have the tools to explore whatever/wherever I put my mind to. The same can be said for our students and alumni, and it is one of the greatest unseen benefits of our programs each summer in my opinion.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
The most incredible thing I hear the most, from multiple students, is their own reflection on their own growth because of these programs. People who come into these programs feeling shy, out of place, awkward, scared, etc. begin to build a resilience, confidence, and openness in themselves that is truly amazing to see. It is such a large change in so short of time that they notice it, and they can point to the program specifically as being the catalyst for this change. As a teacher, it is such a beautiful thing to hear this feedback, because we don't just believe we are making a difference, we KNOW.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
It's between Italy and Western Civilization. With our Italian program, we immerse ourselves in the life and art (which, as the Fine Art and Drawing instructor is amazing for me!) and culture of Italy by living in Florence for two weeks, then heading to Rome for the last week. We get to dive in deep and it definitely starts feeling like home away from home. Western Civilization though is a slightly different flavor. We pack as much adventure as we possibly can in the three weeks that we are traveling through Athens, the Greek islands, Turkey, and ending in Rome. My ideal summer would be to do the adventure of the Western Civilization, then meet up with the Italian program in Florence for the cozy and relaxed vibes in Italy. The best part too is that both of these programs are designed so you can do it that way, so while pick if you can do both??
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
We have planned, structured, pre-college experience classes, but we also take input from the students and fit things they show high interest in if it is at all possible to do so. For example, I was assisting our history teacher in Japan, when one of our students noticed a poster for an ancient site that everyone thought would be cool to see. The students all were immediately curious about this place, and as a staff group, we all shuffled everything around to make a trip out to this site work. The kids all loved it and said it meant so much to them that we listened to their wants and needs. It is something that really does make our programs unique, and the care and detail given to each student is second to none when it comes to World Class Programs.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Care. Plain and simple. We all care so deeply for our students and our staff. We all care about education, and adventure, and safety. Everything we do is to ensure the students have the most incredible summer of their lives and in doing so we create a great big family. No organization that does not put its students and their safety first can flourish, and World Class Programs does an outstanding job of putting our students at the pinnacle of each and every decision we make.
