Saint Dominic Academy Faculty and Students Enjoy Spain

In June 2011, 30 members of Saint Dominic Academy (4 adults and 26 students) departed from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York for Spain to begin their 10-day itinerary touring the wonderful sites throughout the country.  Along the way, they visited places of historical importance such as the Alhambra in Granada, which vividly brought to life the presence of the Moors in Spain.  In Madrid, the students tasted the famous tapas and paella, and drank in the grandeur of a city replete with tradition, yet modern in its sensibilities.  The Royal Palace showed off Spain’s royal history, while the Prado featured the country’s celebrated artists. A quick stop in Costa del Sol offered a trip to the beach and some wonderfully fashionable shopping opportunities.  The students danced to the rhythms of flamenco in Sevilla after experiencing an exciting flamenco show in a cave. In Valencia, they visited the Aquarium at the City of Arts and Sciences. Barcelona introduced the students to the melodious sounds of the Catalan language.  During their stay, the SDA group took bicycle rides around the port, and strolled the famous Ramblas enjoying the sights and sounds of this unique city in Spain. There the students also admired the city’s bold and exciting architecture, especially the buildings of Antoni Gaudi found throughout the city, such as those in Parque Guell and the Basilica of la Sagrada Familia, his unfinished masterpiece.  Everywhere they travelled, the SDA group used their Spanish.  Classroom learning had become real.

 SDA’s past international itineraries have included Ireland, Italy, England, Greece, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.  Saint Dominic Academy annually offers students opportunities for international travel.  In June 2012, the school will embark on a new itinerary to Eastern Europe to visit Berlin, Prague, Krakow, and Budapest.  For more information, please contact  Denise Scholz at dscholz@stdominicacad.com or call 201-434-5938.
 

 
 Tour of Italy 

Tour of Greece

Ireland, Scotland, London and Barcelona Tour

Educational Summer Tours

St. Dominic Academy Students Attend
World Youth Day
  

Left to right: Diana Reinoso, Marta Suazo, Marta Miralles, Monique Williams, Michelle Ibarra, Maria Miralles, Genesis Sanchez, Susana Rosa and Ruth Rosa.

In August 2011, nine Saint Dominic Academy students and one alumna made the pilgrimage to Madrid, Spain to attend World Youth Day, take part in the activities and hear Pope Benedict XVI speak.  The students attended with their local parishes:  Susana Rosa, ’14, Ruth Rosa, ’13 and Marta Suazo, ‘14 with St. Columba of New York, Genesis Sanchez, ’14 with Holy Family of Nutley, Monique Williams, ’13 and Meryger Taveras, ’11 with Saints Joseph and Michael of Union City, Maria Miralles, ’13 and Marta Miralles, ’15 with Saint Aedan’s of Jersey City and La Purisima of Málaga, Spain, Diana Reinoso of Saint Anthony’s in Union City, and Michelle Ibarra of Saint Lawrence in Weehawken.
 
“My experience on the pilgrimage to Spain was unforgettable,” says Sanchez, ’14.  “There I felt God’s love for me.  I was among thousands of young people, and we were all united for the same purpose.  It gave me a great sense of joy.”
 
The students needed to fundraise in order to be able to attend the World Youth Day.  They took part in trivia nights, sold breakfast, held bake sales and pasta nights. Some sold bracelets and raffles tickets in an effort to raise the necessary money.  All of the students felt that the effort was truly worth the experience.
 
 Susana Rosa, ’14 shared, “Everywhere you looked you saw people from different countries, and it was wonderful. Even though I had to suffer a bit in the heat, I enjoyed it all. I got to see the Pope and listen to what he said, and that's the most important part."

“The Pope spoke about the fact that we need a community to help us grow in our love and faith,” said  Suazo, ’14, whose parents have attended every World Youth Day since 1989, and who expected to take Suazo with them as soon as she turned 13 years of age.
 
The students visited monasteries, attended mass and enjoyed talking to people at the event about their shared experiences.  Several took the opportunity to do some sightseeing in Spain before or after World Youth Day visiting such renowned cities as Saragoza, Valencia, Avila and Segovia.  The Miralles sisters even made the time to visit family in Spain.
 
Senior, Michelle Ibara summed up the experience for all of the participants, "World Youth Day was such a blast, not just because I was surrounded by close friends and made many new ones, but because it was so touching to see so many people gather together because of their faith in God.  I'm surrounded by people strong in faith every day at St. Dominic Academy, but I've never seen it as strong as I did in Spain.  I met so many people from all over the world, and despite the fact that we spoke different languages and had different customs, we all understood why we were there and that we obviously had something very important in common."