Ti travelers prepare to head to Scotland and Ireland

TICONDEROGA | This spring break April 18 through 25, 45 Ticonderogians will be headed on an adventure more than 3,200 miles from home across the Atlantic. Scotland and Ireland are the destinations, and the group of young travelers in grades seven through 12 will be immersed in the ancient homelands of Gaelic and Celtic tribes, step back into the Middle Ages on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, and be treated to restored 19th-century architecture and thriving arts scene of Belfast, among so many other notable sites. This will be the fourth year in a row Ti travelers have ventured out of the country with EF Educational Tours. Ticonderoga High School Special Education teacher and travel group leader, Maria Bagneschi, has traveled with EF for 25 years. "We live in a beautiful area here, this is a place I chose to come to for a job and remained here," Bagneschi said. "We have a wonderful community, but we are also somewhat isolated and we are not very diverse here. To have an opportunity to show people new cultures and new lands and new countries is amazing; even English-speaking countries are very different culturally even though we share the same language." Travel is an educational and personal investment, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and memories priceless. But there is a cost- some teens have been saving up since last year, others worked extra hard at their summer jobs. To help offset the group's travel expenses, the travelers will be hosting a Spaghetti Dinner and Basket Raffle at the Knights of Columbus on Thursday, Feb. 27 with the travelers doing the serving. "We would love to give people a night they don't have to cook," Bagneschi said. "You can dine in the K of C, or get something to go. We appreciate the K of C is always very supportive of educational travel." Bagneschi has been leading educational tours in Ticonderoga since 2001, and for decades she and fellow faculty member Lynne Lenhart alternated every other year, Lenhart taking young travelers to Spanish-speaking countries and Bagneschi taking the English-speaking lands, with China thrown in here and there over the years. "I love exploring places, meeting new people, and I love experiencing that with first time-travelers," she remarked. Of the 45 travelers, half are kids and half are adult chaperones, and for many (if not most), this will be their first trip to a foreign country, an experience that Bagneschi believes is filled with benefit after benefit. Freshman Lilly Leerkes is excited to see each country for the first time, and sophomore Samuel Sutphen, who has already visited England, France, Australia, Germany, Italy, and Spain, is anticipating being exposed to new cultures. "While we may only be gone a week, people come back much more aware of our world and much older and more mature," Bagneschi said. Last year on the Spain trip, former foreign exchange student, Laura, met up with the Ti group for a reunion, a highlight for all. The days begin at 7 a.m. for breakfast, and from there the group will be under the watchful eye of Tour Director Ben (Bagneschi requests him every year) as they traipse all over Dublin, Belfast, Cairnryan and Edinburgh. Lunch will be had wherever the group ends up, perhaps grabbing a sandwich at a museum cafe or delighting in the new cuisine of a street vendor. By the time they make their way back to the hotel for dinner, most travelers will be exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep, the next day promising just as much exhilaration and stimulating encounters. "Some of our first-time travelers do have a case of nerves, but they adapt quickly," Bagneschi assured, adding that safe travel tips are always instilled. "People just need to remember we are not in small-town Ticonderoga anymore and be more aware of their surroundings." The spaghetti dinner at the K of C will include meatballs, salad, bread, and dessert, all for $15. Tickets to the spaghetti dinner are available by emailing Bagneschi at mbagneschi@ticonderogak12.org, or may be purchased directly from travelers. Walk-ins are welcome while supplies last.

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Ti travelers prepare to head to Scotland and Ireland

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