Journey Through History

Maclay Supports 10 Students to Travel to Europe

Photo by Edal Anton Lefterov / CC BY-SA 3.0

In the spring of 2026, 10 Maclay students will have an opportunity to embark on a trip to Europe to study World War II (WWII) and European history. The trip will include stops to multiple historical sites all over Europe, including Paris, Normandy and London. Here, the 10 selected students will see first hand major WWII battlefields, museums, artifacts, memorials and monuments. The trip is free of all costs, by virtue of an anonymous Maclay supporter who donated the funds to make this trip possible. 

Maclay will choose 10 students to attend the trip. The application was open to all rising juniors and seniors. Eligible students turned in their applicants by April 7, and the selected students will be announced after a competitive application process.

Selected Students will have to attend pre- and post-trip meetings to discuss the trip and learn about the sites before seeing them. They also will be responsible for leading part of the tour. Each student will have a site that they will have to research and present on during or before the trip.

The trip will last 11 days over the course of spring break. Included on the trip are private expert tour guides that will escort and educate students across each location. That way, students are guaranteed to get the most out of the experience. Additionally, all meals and activities are included, along with hotel expenses, forms of transportation and flights in and out of Tallahassee, thanks to the donor. 

The trip will  include visits to the Churchill War Rooms and the Imperial War Museums in London, England. In France, students will visit The Normandy beaches, Château de Vincennes and Les Invalides.

Because the trip will take place in several European countries, the global scope will provide insights to the experiences of different countries during the war. The experiences in these different countries will provide a perspective on what it was like to be a citizen in a Nazi-occupied territory and those involved in resistance. 

Compared to other field trips, this educational opportunity will be unique because of its exclusivity, being that it is a fully funded trip. It is a global learning opportunity that expands students’ perspectives beyond the United States. By visiting the locations where WWII history unfolded, students will be able to comprehend the impact in a way textbooks couldn’t replicate. 

“We hope that students get a better perspective of WWII personally and  academically,” upper school history teacher Timothy Fitzpatrick said. “Also, they can use this trip to get a better understanding of history in general and make use of their experience in college or on the AP exams.”