History Teacher Organizes Europe Trip

FARMINGTON — For the first time, Farmington High School is planning an overseas tour for interested students.

About 50 people, including eight teachers, students and family members, have signed up to travel to Europe from June 6-15, 2016.

Mallory Cameron, who teaches Advanced Placement European history, is one of the teachers organizing the trip and she is excited the high school is providing a new opportunity for its students.

“I think it’s one thing to talk about places in class and Europe in general and another to take them to experience these places,” said Cameron.

Many of the students going on the trip are ninth-and 10th-graders. Cameron said she hopes after visiting Europe, these students will take AP European history and be able to have a good understanding of the course.

She said she’s wanted to lead a trip to Europe and last year heard positive comments from an overseas trip sponsored by Prairie Grove High School to the United Kingdom. Prairie Grove used a company called Explorica out of Boston, Mass., and Farmington is using the same group.

Explorica organizes more than 100 international trips. Cameron likes the tour chosen by the high school because it hits the highlights in Europe.

The itinerary includes landmarks in London, England; Paris and Versailles, France; and Florence and Rome, Italy. Some of the landmarks, for example, will be Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Eiffel Tower, Seine River cruise, Tower Bridge, Colosseum and Louvre.

This will be Cameron’s first visit to Europe and she is especially interested in seeing some of the art.

“I’ve told my students, when I am standing in the Sistine Chapel and looking up at the ceiling, I may start crying,” she said.

All participants are responsible for paying their own way. The student tour-fee is about $3,600 and the adult tour cost is about $4,000. The tour fee includes everything for the trip, except money for lunches and souvenirs.

Cameron said the group will have fundraisers to help with the costs. Ideas include cleaning up Razorback venues, working concession stands and possibly sponsoring chicken dinners and other events to raise money.

Along with Cameron, high school teachers Stefanie Earnheart and Meagan Disney are part of the planning team.