Paris trip: très magnifique

MANAWA – Members of the senior class of 2025 returned home from their class trip from Paris with a new life experience under their belt as they head out into the world.
Jeff Bortle, the dean of students and a math teacher at Little Wolf High School, planned the trip to Paris, having planned trips for middle school students prior to COVID.
About eight months ago he approached Ryan Peterson, the district administrator for the Manawa school district, about planning trips for high school seniors.
Bortle said as soon as he started planning the trip the parents of younger students began asking if it would still be an offering when their child reached senior status.
Bortle was present at a January at the Manawa school board meeting where he asked the board for permission to start planning future senior class trips so as to give students and parents a chance to save up for the senior class excursions.

The first international trip was to Paris, where 46 students and parents embarked on the journey where they were able to experience French culture and cuisine.
Bortle said the first stop on the tour was to the stop of the Eifel Tower, with the group being able to see the entirety of the city.
Teaching kids how to use the metro was also a notable experience, Bortle said.
“Many students commented that they want to come back to Europe and they think they would be comfortable doing it on their own,” he said.
They were also able to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, which has just opened after a fire destroyed part of the famous cathedral in 2019. Bortle said the students really enjoyed the cuisine and the architecture.
“The adventure to explore an area of the world that none of them have been able to see before was what they appreciated the most,” he said.
Bortle said they are in the process of planning the trip for next year, which will most likely be either Paris or Rome.