Start spreading the news… our students had a superb time in New York City!
At 4:00am, a time when most of the world is asleep, the coach park of St Edmund’s College saw 41 students and 5 teachers climb aboard the bus, all filled with excitement and way too little sleep. After an uneventful bus ride to Heathrow and a mostly smooth sailing security check later, the eager Edmundians boarded the plane and began their journey. Touch down in New York and we’re off to Times Square where suddenly, my expectations for the city were swiftly exceeded. In awe, we strolled through the neon drenched metropolis all the way to Grand Central Station where it’s safe to say the jetlag was catching up with us.
Anticipation hung in the air on the first full day when we embarked on our Statue of Liberty boat cruise. We took in all the sights and gosh were there a lot to see, from the iconic Brooklyn Bridge to Lady Liberty herself and all the skyscrapers that decorated the horizon in-between. Up next was the financial district which afforded Mr Manning the opportunity to give a guided tour so captivating that even passers-by stopped to listen! The mood shifted as we entered the 9/11 museum, the heavy atmosphere forcing us to reflect on this sombre time in history.
A short walk away, but another world away in feeling was the Mercer labs which were a unique experience to say the least. I waited in the queue expecting an art gallery or lesson on how technology has changed industries; the reality was swings and ball pits in an immersive sensory adventure which took us all straight back to childhood.
The curtain rose on day three as we sung our way through breakfast at Ellen’s Stardust Diner – a restaurant whose staff are aspiring Broadway performers. This was followed up by mass in the grandest cathedral I’d ever seen; St Patrick’s, a building so vast that guests were invited to live stream in from the back pews. My personal highlight of the trip was Broadway, where half of our group saw the musical SIX and the other half, Hell’s Kitchen. Hell’s Kitchen was one of the most phenomenal shows I’ve ever seen and tells the rags to riches story of Alicia Keys, a talented singer with 17 Grammy Awards under her belt. The semi-autobiographical musical showcased vocals big enough to blow the roof off the Shubert Theatre. From Broadway we hot-footed it to The Rockefeller centre for the Top of The Rock experience; a three-level viewing deck at the highest point of The Rockefeller Centre with a 360° view of Manhattan. Down 70 floors and we’re at the ice-skating rink where I progressed from rookie to racer, meanwhile all staff members blissfully watched from the sidelines, hot chocolates in hand. An abundance of Edmundian spirit was evident when unfortunately, a last-minute tumble landed one of our party in the hospital with a broken ankle. Free time and shopping capped off this hectic day.
Fatigue kicked in on day four as we trudged through the New York streets on a brisk morning, eventually arriving at the United Nations Headquarters for our guided tour.
Having little knowledge on the UN prior to our visit, I was fascinated to learn how the UN manage conflict and maintain peace and stability in our world. Evidenced by the many questions asked, the group’s intellectual curiosity was piqued. An eventful central park scavenger hunt followed where students trekked through its snowy postcard-like landscape while capturing pictures of the park’s attractions. Who knew you could walk for hours and still be in the same park? Another spectacular view of the city skyline awaited us at The Edge, though fear got the better of some at the highest outdoor viewing deck in the western hemisphere. Most alarming for Mr Manning was his encounter with a pickpocket on the way. No harm was done though, and it turned into yet another comedy story for him to recite!
I couldn’t shake a bittersweet feeling on our last day as we explored the last corner of the city. Our day began smoothly with a behind the scenes tour of the legendary stadium that is Madison Square Garden. Not everyone can say they’ve peeped behind the scenes in an arena where hundreds of cultural icons have performed. Any remaining dollars we had left were surely spent at Macy’s where the smell of luxury perfume penetrated the expansive shop floor. To follow was our last few hours of free time in the city where most took the opportunity to grab food, however the Swifties of the group ran to Cornelia Street and back, just about making it in time for the Hershey’s Chocolate World tour. After extensive taste-testing, we can confirm that British chocolate is far superior to American! Regrettably, it was time to return to JFK and board our flight. Our day didn’t end quite as smoothly as it had begun with turbulence making for a jittery journey for some.
Thanks to the committed staff and lively students, NYC 2026 was the trip of a lifetime!
Theodora Davis (Rhetoric I)
To find out more about our Educational Trips & School Visits follow the link: https://www.stedmundscollege.org/senior/beyond-the-classroom/trips-and-adventures/.