This past summer was a productive one for the students of Nazareth Academy, as students attended a variety of summer trips.

One of the many trips organized and run through Naz was a mission trip to Solsberry, Indiana. According to students, this service trip not only serves as an outreach to help those who need it, but it serves as an opportunity to enrich one’s faith.

“We don’t only focus on helping out people that need it, but we better ourselves with our religion as well,” says Junior Bri Tovar.

Throughout the course of the week, the Juniors and Seniors helped to build an amphitheater for the home that they stayed in, started the foundation of a brand new house, and painted other homes, all while interacting with those who need the service.

“I was able to serve the community in various other ways, such as learning how to hammer nails into wood, cooking dinner, washing dishes, and planning the evening prayer,” says Tovar.

While unanimously agreeing that they would recommend this trip to other Naz students, students’ highlights of Solsberry included being able to directly help those who are underprivileged while bonding with other Nazareth students.

“My favorite part of the trip was being able to see the results of the service and sitting on the pier eating and talking with everyone,” says Junior Clare Sullivan.

“I also developed friendships that I probably wouldn’t have made otherwise, and I got to know people better than I did prior to the trip.”

Overall, this trip is highly praised for leaving a personal impact on others’ lives . Sign-up for Solsberry Hill takes place at the end of each school year.

In addition to service in Indiana, many other students got the opportunity to travel to the other side of the world. 25 students on a first-come first-served basis were able to sign up to travel across Europe. Throughout the trip, the students and their teacher chaperones traveled through Ireland, Wales, London, and Paris with a tour guide from an education tour company.

Many students said they became interested in this trip because it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to travel with friends and to meet new people from Naz that they weren’t very close with before.

Traveling primarily by bus, students were given the opportunity to visit major tourist attractions across the continent. “We were able to kiss the Blarney Stone, see Big Ben, visit Westminster Abbey, tour Shakespeare’s house, walk across Abbey Road in England, visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and much more,” says Senior Lilly Franko.

“My favorite part was definitely the daily free time, where my friends and I got to go off on our own and explore. I also enjoyed having a sleepover with my friends every night and hanging out with everyone in the hotel.”

Overall, students who traveled to Europe say that they highly recommend this trip to any other Naz student that has the desire to explore Europe.

While the summer of 2015 was filled with many opportunities to experience life outside of Nazareth and its surrounding community, more trips will be available to students in the future.