Students, Faculty Travel to Scandinavia Over Spring Break

• June 11, 2026

Samin Faiz || STAFF WRITER

Forty-two Andover High School students and seven chaperones visited Scandinavia this April.

After a six-hour flight from Boston to Reykjavík, Iceland, followed by a two-hour flight to Oslo, Norway, the group began their ten-day-long tour the Thursday before spring break. Through a combination of bus rides, overnight ferries, and countless miles on foot, the group made their way through five Northern European countries: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia.

“I’ve been traveling with students since 2005, so this might be my 17th tour,” said Brian Shea, English teacher, organizer, and chaperone of the trip. “We’ve now done all of Europe, so Northern Europe was sort of our last frontier.”

Apart from the chaperones, the group was accompanied by a tour director named Yulia, whom Shea worked closely with to structure the daily itinerary and ensure a smooth trip.

In Scandinavia, English is widely spoken, so the language barrier was never a problem for the group. Sometimes, however, the students made connections in ways that transcend the spoken word.

“I played soccer with a bunch of people in Sweden,” recalled Hannah Arnold, a junior who participated in the trip. “That was probably the highlight of the trip for me.”

Arnold is no stranger to international travel. Just two months earlier, in fact, she joined her classmates on another school trip to Peru over winter break. However, for her twin sister, Grace Arnold, this was a brand-new experience.

“I met a lot of new people that I’ve never met before, especially people not in my grade,” Grace said. “It was really nice because I met a lot of great people through that and got to spend time with people I wouldn’t usually get to spend time with.”

The trip offered a flexible balance of group tours and independent exploration. “We had a lot of free time,” Grace noted. “We got to explore cities on our own and shop where we wanted. As long as you stayed in groups of three or more, you were free to roam the city.”

Students observed the region’s distinct economic models. Through agreements within the European Union and the Nordic Council, higher education is heavily subsidized or entirely free for regional citizens.

“It’s really interesting. They tax wealthier people a lot more and their overall tax rates are a lot higher,” one student observed. “The way they reinvest money back into infrastructure contributes to stronger public infrastructure. Education and health care are free, and they even offer stipends to cover the cost of living. Essentially, you pay a lot of taxes, but you get a lot in return.”

Students also noticed the societal impact of these safety nets. “Their unhoused population is significantly lower. If you want help, those systems are available to support you.”

The travelers’ curiosity and maturity left a strong impression on the faculty.

“These kids were wonderful,” said Shea. “All of the students were engaged. They were paying attention. They were enjoying it. They were wonderful travelers. To me, that was the biggest thrill.”

With the preparations for next year’s destinations already underway, the future of travel programs at AHS seems to be brimming with opportunities.

“Next year, we have two tours,” said Shea. “We’re running one tour to Barcelona and Madrid in February, and then we’re running another tour to Greece in April.”

Such opportunities are often highly selective at other schools, but luckily, these trips remain open to the entire student body at AHS.

“There’s no application process,” Shea emphasized. “We’re not looking at grades. We’re not looking at behavioral records. Anybody can sign up when we offer these tours. I put them out there, and I’m like, ‘If you want to go, come.’”

How to Market Yourself to College Coaches

• June 11, 2026

Mo Gearin || STAFF WRITER

As the class of 2026 finalized their future plans, there were many factors influencing their decision, especially for students intending to follow a sport. 

Kerry Cashman, the Assistant Athletic Director, encouraged students to think about academics, campus culture, and whether they would enjoy the school even without their sport when choosing college. 

“You’re a student athlete, but you’re a student first,” Cashman said.

Creating an athletic portfolio can be daunting. One way that Andover High School students have been creating connections is through Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), an online tool used by colleges in the recruitment process where student athletes can track their stats that lets college coaches search through. 

“It gives you a bit of a foot up in communicating with coaches,” said Andover High School senior Hazel Faulkner, who plans to continue rowing at the University of Rhode Island.

According to Cashman, the recruiting process varies based on the sport. In team sports, athletes often gain exposure by attending tournaments as well as college camps where recruiters are present. 

“You want the coaches to be able to see you,” she explained. “The best way for basketball players to do it was to play AAU and go to live period events where coaches were at, and they were specifically recruiting for that sport.

“College coaches see it in a more comprehensive view. I’m looking at the full athlete,” said Cashman when explaining how athletes can leave lasting impressions. “I would look at their body language, how they interact with teammates, coaches, and parents on the sideline. How they respond to mistakes, are they sprinting back on defense, or are they walking and giving up? … Body language is a huge tell.”

For many students, deciding whether to continue a sport in college is personal and uncertain at first. 

“It was kind of a mix of family influence and also where I row. My club rowing team [and] the people around me were doing the college process as well for rowing,” said Faulkner.  

She advised students going into decisions and applications to “[not be] afraid to reach out to coaches…. If you’re really passionate about it, don’t let the stress or the fear of reaching out hold you back.” 

Lucas Souza, a senior football player, described the recruiting process as both stressful and rewarding. “You text the coach, and you’re at all these camps, and you’re hoping colleges reach out,” he said. “[And] when you get the acceptances and offers, it’s the most exciting thing ever.” 

Souza explained that football played a major role in shaping his plans: “[During] my freshman and sophomore years, I honestly didn’t think I was going to go to college; I was either going to go into the military or try to do a trade.” However, his passion for football pushed him toward continuing his education and athletic journey. “I wasn’t ready to hang up the cleats yet,” he said.