By Wilma Reyes

On Tuesday, November 17, 2012, an eager group of students from Mary Ward’s Art Department boarded a bus headed towards the beautiful city of New York for � ve days of amazing art encounters, fun, and shopping. With Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Lenardon, and Mr. Notten in tow, the group toured around the Big Apple. There, they visited many art museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (also known as the MoMA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (known as ‘the Met’ to true New Yorkers), the Museum of Moving Image, dedicated entirely to � lm and movie-making, and the Guggenheim Museum, which featured a Picasso exhibit during the trip. It was in these museums that the students were able to channel their in-ner artists and art critics, and analyze the beautiful works of art, going as far back as the Egyptians and their cave paintings, to as recent as Trong G. Nguyen and his spray-painted Donald Trump t-shirts.

Students also watched an O� -Broadway show entitled Stomp, which incorporat-ed everyday objects such as newspapers and brooms into a spectacular show of rhythm, dance, comedy, and pure entertainment. In addition, students were able to ‘feed their faith’ through a visit to the breathtaking Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, the largest cathedral in the world.

Their busy tour schedule also included a walk through the High Line, an elevated public park made from an old railway used in the 1930s, a visit to the charming Chelsea Market, and lunch at the Socrates Sculpture Garden in Queens. Their last full day in New York included a visit to the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero, which allowed students to have time to re� ect and remember those who died in this tragic and infamous incident from 11 years ago. And, of course, students were able to satisfy their seemingly endless shopping lists through countless visits to Times Square.

Overall, the New York 2012 trip was a huge success, as all 51 students reluctantly waved goodbye to the concrete jungle with a new perception and understand-ing of art, architecture, theatre, and most importantly, budgeting. . . just kidding! Whether it was on the bus with David (our bus driver), on the streets with Blaire (our assigned tour guide), or in the museums with the teachers, each day con-sisted of something new, educational and exciting. It is safe to say that the image of New York’s thousands of twinkling city lights will not be soon forgotten in their minds; the trip will be a sweet memory that they will keep for the rest of their lives. Special thanks to the Art Department teachers for the enormous amount of time, e� ort, and planning that went into this unforgettable trip!

12 mwplanet VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1

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