Students Learn and Explore Across the Globe in March Trips

From learning to bargain in outdoor markets to hiking near live volcanoes, this year’s March trips served up novelty and adventure for the 80-plus boys and teacher-chaperones who journeyed from Boston to farflung destinations in Asia, Europe, and the Pacific, as well as to the American South. Wherever they went, boys embodied the Belmont Hill motto of working together–whether navigating the streets of Shenzhen, counting groceries and checking out patrons at a food bank grocery store, bonding with students at a French lycée, or snorkeling at a Hawaiian reef.

Led by Chris Zellner and chaperoned by Bennett Pitcher, this year’s African-American Culture and History Tour took eight students from Forms II and III to sites in Alabama and Louisiana. Their wide-ranging itinerary included visits to Tuskegee Airfield (where the pioneering Black pilots trained in World War II), the Birmingham neighborhoods and churches at the heart of the civil rights movement, and the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum, featuring a sculpture garden and multimedia tributes and encounters with the country’s legacy of violence against African and African-American men, women, and children. Reflecting on his experience, John Brady ’30 observed, “This trip took me places where I wouldn't have gone before, especially when visiting some museums and monuments that went deep into the lynchings in the South. From this, I learned that even though there might be some very uncomfortable and scary topics, it is still important to learn from them.”

Despite a torrential “Kona low” which triggered flight cancellations, 12 intrepid boys, along with trip leader Jake DeCaprio ‘16 and chaperones Tyson Trautz and Sam Messina, landed just 12 hours behind schedule on the shores of Hawai’i, the Big Island. With a resort-like Airbnb as their base, the group ventured forth on numerous daytime adventures. Our fiftieth state did not disappoint, whether it was an expedition to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, nailbiter descents into the rainforested Waipi’o Valley, snorkeling trips amid tropical fishes, or reaching the chilly peaks of 13,000-foot Mauna Kea. The days were full–of wonder as well as thrill and challenge. As Colter Martin ’28 put it, “The hike on the way out from Captain Cook Monument stretched me beyond my comfort zone.” Danny Ivester ’28 echoed these sentiments. “It taught me grit, and was a great opportunity to go somewhere beautiful and explore.” Despite the island rains, the trip participants returned with sunny dispositions and memories. 

Organized by French teacher and Form III Head Advisor Nancy Montanaro, the 2026 Francophone trip returned to the country of France, splitting their time between Paris and Lyon.  Along with chaperones Tony Maws ’88 and Nancy O’Connor, 17 French students from Forms II-VI set off to speak French with natives, sample local cuisine, and bond with one another. When asked what had stretched them on this trip, boys’ responses were varied: from trying new foods (escargot!), to “talking to girls in another language,” to speaking in French while having “complicated conversations, about politics for example.” Madame kept the itinerary varied and active, orchestrating petanque competitions (French bocce), cooking lessons, and museum visits to the Louvre in Paris and the Lugdunum in Lyon. All the boys appreciated the chance to spend two mornings at a French lycée. According to Shea McDonnell ’28, “The highlight for me was getting to talk to all the French kids in French at the school in Lyon.” Fortunately for us, Madame has begun exploring the possibility of starting an exchange with that same school, fortuitously named Lycée Belmont!

Though Spanish teacher Jorge Montoya officially retired over the winter, the veteran varsity soccer coach staged a spring comeback as leader of the school’s March trip to Spain. Co-chaperoned by Paige Wallace and Jim Peck ‘77, the trip focused on the Spanish region of Andalusia, immersing boys in the region’s distinctive architecture, history, food, and music. Boys cited their visits to the Córdoba mosque-cathedral and Alhambra palace as highlights of the trip. Andalusian cuisine presented opportunities for the boys to reach beyond their culinary comfort zones, and not surprisingly, many were pleasantly surprised. While this trip was open to all students, regardless of language study, the boys who take Spanish leaned into the opportunity. According to Tristan Dolan ’28, “I talked in Spanish with a lot of locals. It taught me to go outside of my comfort zone and talk with people even though I'm nervous. It helped me learn a lot more about Spanish culture and more about the language.” Fantástico!

Having visited Taiwan last spring, Belmont Hill returned to mainland China for the first time since the pandemic. Led by trip leader Penghua Shen who was joined by chaperones Lawrence Lopez and Matt Ziff, 17 boys voyaged to Hong Kong and then to the mainland. With a focus on new technologies as well as China’s rich cultural history, the trip was fast-paced and exposed students to China’s extraordinary tech hubs and achievements. According to Mr. Lopez, in just a couple of days around Shenzhen, the boys rode a 150+ mph high-speed train, were transported by self-driving cars, and even ate drone-delivered KFC! The students were dazzled by Shanghai’s skyline, which they experienced first-hand in an ear-popping 60-second voyage to the top of the 118-floor Shanghai Tower. Closer to the ground, they sampled Chinese cuisine, and explored Ming-era parks and Shanghai’s colonial-era French Concession. Their excursions provided ample opportunity to speak with locals. According to Lingyun Xu-Sun ’30, who speaks Chinese at home, “I learned that it can be extremely enjoyable and interesting to talk to people I don't know.” Kellan Hvizdak ’29 noted, “They really appreciate how I am learning their language. I learned how people appreciate you learning their culture and expressing it to them makes a difference.” Such interactions reinforce the school’s commitment to fostering a sense of common humanity and lifelong love of learning. 

Lastly, this year’s service trip was another devoted to “Service and Song”. Eleven Form I and II boys, along with trip leader Juliette Zener and chaperone Donnell Patterson, set out for Music City (aka Nashville), where they engaged in a full schedule of community service and carnivorous adventure. Three days were spent on spring clean-up at the J. Percy Priest Lake Park, an expansive recreational area operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. With temps ranging from 70 and sunny to snow flurries, the biggest challenge was staying warm, focused, and keeping spirits up while staying on-task. Meal outings to Martin’s BBQ, Peg Leg Porker, and Gabby’s Burger helped ease the chill.  Despite its reputation as a BBQ capital, boys learned that Nashville has a significant food insecurity challenge, impacting roughly one in seven residents. The rest of the week’s service activities focused on bridging that food gap. At Room in the Inn, which feeds, counsels, and educates about 1,500 homeless Nashvillians, boys engaged in conversation with breakfast café guests and served grits, oatmeal, and coffee. They helped folks shop and check out at The Store, an innovative food bank grocery store. Both organizations’ operations center on honoring their patrons’ human dignity and desire for choice. Form I student Tobe Anasiudu captured the group’s overall sentiment when he observed, “I learned not to take things for granted.”

Thank you to all the boys who participated and the faculty who planned and chaperoned the March trips. Rooted in the school’s commitment to educating boys to develop good character, the Global Experiences trips program strives to expand boys’ horizons, immerse them in unfamiliar cultural and social settings, and provide them opportunities to make discoveries about themselves and others.