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Greece Trip: Uncovering Ancient Legacies
During Spring Break, 10 Upper School students, accompanied by Jim Yavenditti, Director of Studies, and Sally Rose Zuckert ’15, US History & English Teacher, embarked on a week-long trip to Greece as part of St. Luke’s Global Education program. Built on the foundation of the ninth grade World History curriculum, this trip allowed students to see and experience what they learned in the classroom.
“It's so important for our students to have the chance to go out into the world where they can see, experience, and practice all that they have learned in their classes,” said Director of Global Education Beth Yavenditti. “Seeing the sites they studied, experiencing an archeological dig, and learning how we study, preserve, and share history is fun and brings all their learning to life. These students can now share their experiences and knowledge from the trip with the SLS community for us all to learn from.”
Students on the trip visited Nafplio, Crete, Delphi, and Athens. Highlights from the trip included:
- Walking the remains of the ancient city of Mycenae and seeing the tomb of Agamemnon
- Exploring Epidaurus, a still-active theater dating back to the fourth century
- Participating in an archaeological dig workshop at Asini
- Learning about the importance of ceramics in Greek culture and creating their own works of art
- Visiting Nemea and the Temple of Zeus
- Taking an overnight ferry boat to explore Crete
- Visiting the ruins of Knossos, the oldest city in Europe and home of the legendary Minotaur's Labyrinth
- Sampling Minoan-inspired foods and one of Greece's best pastries, a sweet custard pie known as bougatsa
- Relaxing at an ecovillage in the Crete mountains, getting a taste of rural life through a farm visit, cooking class, and dancing lessons
- Exploring the narrow streets and shops at the base of the Acropolis in Athens' most famous neighborhood, Plaka
- Climbing to the top of the Acropolis for an overlook of the city and an overview of the classical history of Athens with a local guide
At the conclusion of the trip, students and trip leaders gathered to reflect on their adventures and the experiences they shared.
Julia Coniglio ‘26 shared, “My favorite part of the trip was visiting Knossos, an ancient Minoan palace on the island of Crete. I never knew how complex the multi-level structure was. The labyrinth itself was two stories of twisting mazes. We had learned about this palace in school, so seeing it in person and making those connections was extremely rewarding. A fond memory I have is our group taking a cooking class. We learned from a local chef how to make traditional Cretan meals, including Kalitsounia (cheese pies). We went to the garden to pick ingredients and used them to make delicious dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). I felt truly immersed in Greek culture. My biggest takeaway is the connections we made between what we learned in the classroom and the monuments and art we saw in Greece. There were so many “aha” moments on this trip, which was really exciting. Learning about these topics in the classroom is one thing, but seeing them in person is something completely different; that’s an invaluable experience.”
For photos from the Greece trip, click here.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
