Seven Upper School students and three chaperones spent five days during Spring Break on a Global Experiences trip to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama. Accompanied by chaperones Andrew Sullivan (Upper School art teacher, Co-Director of Global Experiences), Maxime Sinal (Upper School English Department Chair, DEIB Advisor) and Eileen Valentine (Middle School Administrative Assistant), the students visited museums, monuments and historical locations in Montgomery, Birmingham, Selma, and Tuskegee.
“What was most impactful to me was learning where the history took place, which was truly a unique opportunity. I felt fortunate to be able to learn topics in depth surrounding the Civil Rights Movement in a way that involved the curiosity and empathy of each student. Not only did this trip further our knowledge surrounding Civil Rights, but also changed how we view and approach advocacy and change within our own community,” Bella Rovito ’24 said.
Early highlights of the trip included a visit to The Legacy Museum, crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge and spending time in Selma, the location of “Bloody Sunday” where peaceful protesters were beaten while fighting for voting rights and equality. Other memorable stops included visiting the National Voting Rights Museum and Institution, the Civil Rights Memorial Center, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, the Rosa Parks Museum and the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church where Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pastor. The group also enjoyed a barbecue dinner at Lannie’s BBQ, which has been owned and operated by the same family for 79 years.
This immersive experience provided a greater understanding of the struggles many faced and the sacrifices they made in their quest for equality. The five days in Alabama made a deep impact on the students.
“I found every place we went to be greatly rewarding and memorable, but some of my highlights were visiting the Legacy museum because of its heartbreakingly visual displays on the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church because of our amazing tour guide as well as the experience of being in the same space as where Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King had often been, and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice because of how impactfully it commemorated the victims of lynching using its unique structure and sculptures,” Diya Patel ’24 said. “Overall, while the Alabama trip was definitely centered around a heavy subject, I found the experience to be hugely eye-opening and thought-provoking. I'm incredibly grateful to our chaperones and everybody else that helped to make the trip happen.”
Bella and Diya were joined on the trip by fellow Upper School students Cameron Switsky ’24, Alex Mischel ’26, CJ Strauss ’26, Sophia Riccio ’26 and Helen Tang ’26.