Coming back to school often means kissing exhilarating summer adventures goodbye. Many students meticulously plan their luxurious or daredevilish getaways with family and friends for the perfect escape from their often stressful lives.
Whether flying overseas for volunteer work or staying near home to kick back and relax, vacations form memories that shape students into who they are.
During the summer of 2025, Olivia Koverdan (10) travelled to São Paulo, Brazil, on a mission trip. While there for a week, she worked with a mission team to assist the community with its physical and spiritual needs.
The team walked through three different favelas, or slum communities, in different parts of the São Paulo area. They provided food and toys to families and shared the gospel with them.
“One of the most exciting things was seeing the different culture and getting to meet all the new people,” Koverdan remarked. Her trip to Brazil changed her perspective on life and culture in many ways, and she deeply recommended this trip to others.
Earlier in the summer, Maggie Stephens (11) went on vacation in Cape San Blas, FL. She stayed for a week, spending most of her time with her best friend, shopping, and going to the pool.
Stephens enjoyed exploring the surrounding towns, saying, “The most exciting thing I did was going to Apalachicola and look at all the amazing shops and restaurants. Everything was so bright and colorful.”
Stephens highly recommended the local cuisine, especially highlighting how delicious the shrimp and baked oysters were. Her favorite memory from the trip was playing Nertz every night with her mom and her friend while watching ‘Young Sheldon’.
Students at McCracken County High School have travelled all around the world, gaining knowledge and experiencing cultural differences. Summer trips changed people’s perspectives in diverse ways, and it was a beautiful picture to see as they all came together to make their school unique.
