The jet of an airplane rumbles as students fasten their seatbelts. A mix of deep, blue ocean and green land speed by the window as pictures of other countries form in students’ heads. Lara McDonald, Etowah science teacher, is making this vision into a reality as she plans to take students on an educational field trip to Germany and Switzerland during April of 2022.  

After Etowah and the school board approved McDonald’s idea, the plans for a school trip began in the spring of 2020. McDonald’s interest in sustainable living, a lifestyle reducing the use of Earth’s natural resources, inspired her to seek approval for her own international travel. Her trip is advertised around the school on posters, and McDonald encourages students to talk to her about the event if they are interested.  

“You can talk to friends and teachers, and if you find out the teacher who is running it then you can talk to them or click on any of the QR codes that are on the posters,” McDonald said. 

The deadline to apply and pay in full for McDonald’s trip was Dec. 12. The price was a few thousand dollars, and the expenses cover round-trip tickets, hotel prices, lunches, dinners, and activities. McDonald’s venture to Germany and Switzerland is scheduled with many fun activities. Students going will see the famous Berlin Wall and experience a tour of Berlin. While soaking in the beautiful buildings and streets of the city, they will also be taking a look at the environmental sustainability of the country.  

“We [those on the trip] are also going to be looking at it from a sustainable idea, so we are going to get to go see how they manage waste and how they live compared to here, so it’s fun stuff with bit of sustainability,” McDonald said. 

If one is interested in the trip to Germany and Switzerland or has any questions, email McDonald or look out for posters in the hallway.