Los Alamos travelers, front row from left, Charlie Herrmann, Sophan Kellog, Astrid Hengartner, Sally Grindstaff, Nicole Stafford, Aletta Marciano. Back row from left, Melanie Borup, Eric Ovaska, Lynn Ovaska, Emma Phillips, Steven Calhoun, Laura Whicker, Michelle Pederson, Brandon Cullinan and Kate Margavicius. Not pictured are Alexi Ortega and former LAHS student Sam Harris. Courtesy photo LAHS News:
Los Alamos High School graduates participating in Europe 2015 want to thank everyone who supported them this year as they fundraised and prepared for their educational tour of Europe.
The 15 newly graduated seniors departed for Italy and Greece June 11, and appreciate the outpouring of support from the community.
The 2015 graduates wanted to expand their world view and develop global skills before they head off to college. They started planning Europe 2015 last year, learning about Italy and Greece as well as fundraising through homemade care packages, Fair Trade coffee and holiday craft sales.
They raised more than $3,000 to support their costs of traveling in Italy and Greece with their EF tour director and local teacher Lynn Ovaska. Highlights include the Roman Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, Pompeii, the Acropolis in Athens, the Parthenon, Delphi, Ephesus, Crete, Minoan ruins, Santorini.
Look for photos of their tour in the Los Alamos Daily Post over the next two weeks. To see their itinerary, visit:http://www.eftours.com/tour-
This is Ovaska’s fourth time taking graduated seniors on an EF tour. She continues to stay in touch with her own English teacher who took her to Europe in 1986. Ovaska is grateful for the opportunity to share the power of educational travel with her own students.
In 2012, she bought her first group of 11 new LAHS graduates to London, Paris, Florence and Rome with Kathy Boerigter. In 2013, 24 new graduates toured Berlin, Prague, the Alps and Paris with her and LAHS coaches Rob and Kathy Hipwood. In 2015, 15 graduates visited six countries of Central Europe and shared the joy of travel with LAHS teacher Joy Handsberry. She hopes to be able to continue to offer these life-changing tours and share her love of travel with seniors as they transition into adulthood.
