On Wednesday, Nov.17, the senior New York Literature class left at 8:00 am on their annual trip to New York to spend the day touring the Big Apple and attending the Broadway show “Come From Away.”
The class, taught by English teacher William Martino, focuses on literature taking place in New York, such as “Let the Great World Spin,” written by Colum McCann as somewhat of a response to the 9/11 attacks. The trip was an opportunity to immerse the students into New York culture and give them a better understanding and appreciation of New York when continuing on with their studies.
While in New York City, the class visited Lincoln Center, Central Park, the Time Warner Center, and more; they also attended Broadway’s hit show “Come From Away,” a musical set in the week after the 9/11 attacks, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It tells the true story of 38 planes forced to divert to Gander, Newfoundland, and the bonds formed between the Gander residents and the passengers, regardless of cultural clashes, language barriers, or contrasting identities.
This show was not only a highlight of the trip for some, but it was also a key impetus for the trip. “One of my main motivations for taking this trip is to somehow tie our experience in class with some component of New York City; the past two years, it’s been a 9/11 connection,” Mr. Martino said. “Pre-COVID, we went to the Memorial Museum, this year we saw ‘Come From Away.’”
Since last year’s New York Lit students were unable to have this experience due to COVID-19, Mr. Martino was adamant that take this year’s students. “We are so close to the city and for us to not take advantage of it would have been a missed opportunity,” he said. “We talk so much about the vibe and capturing the energy of the city, so I wanted to plan a trip that included some personal time, free time where seniors in high school can be on their own and get a feel for the city in a short amount of time but also structured time.”
The students felt that the experience was an opportunity to engage with their material in a fun, stimulating way. “It was pretty cool because we got to see some of the areas they talked about in the books and get more familiar with the city and some of the more unknown areas,” senior Garrett Gallup said.
Senior Olivia Kittleman agreed. “My favorite part was the free time that we got to go wherever and try new places,” they said.
Overall, the trip seemed to be a huge success and the students had a great experience. “It was a good time,” said senior Allie Wildstein. “The trip was educational, while also enjoyable.”
