Swampscott Students Are China Bound in 2014

Teacher of the Year Chris Ratley says Swampscott students time and again prove to be adaptable on travels to other countries, returning with a deepened cultural understanding.

Senior and student representative to the School Committee Tristan Smith said opportunities abound at Swampscott High.

Students have in recent years traveled to Quebec, Belize and Nicaragua. To Argentina, Madagascar and Morocco.

And now, China is a destination, on the Mystery China tour.

The Swampscott School Committee, on Superintendent Garry Murphy's recommendation, approved a trip for an as yet undetermined number of students between grades 8-12 to visit Beijing, Xian and Shanghai during Spring Break in 2014, April 18-16.

The students will immerse themselves in the Chinese language and visit historical sites including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall and a school, as well as visit a Wonder of the World, the Terra Cotta Warriors.

The trip was proposed by Liming Yang, Swampscott's Chinese Mandarin teacher.

Chaperoning the trip will be one teacher for every six students and on-site guides.

The cost is $2,727 per student. The students, likely their parents, will foot the bill, though they will fundraise to help defray the cost.

The price includes all travel, meals and hotels plus the tours, visits to attractions and an acrobatic show and a Peking duck dinner.

For more information call Bryan Ouellett at 888-310-7120 ext. 126.

Swampscott has established a connection with Chinese teachers and administrators.

A Chinese contingent traveled to Swampscott two years ago.
And representatives of the Swampscott School District have traveled to China.