Moree Secondary College ancient history students will see their studies brought to life when they head to Europe next year to see first-hand the ruins of some of the ancient cities they'll be learning about as part of the HSC syllabus.
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A total of 15 students, four teachers and two parents will embark on an exciting 14-day adventure through Italy and Greece's ancient cities in July 2020.
The group will be made up of 10 year 11 students and five year 10 students (who will next year be in year 11 and 12), including one student from St Philomena's School.
As part of their HSC syllabus, the current year 11 ancient history class will begin their core study of the cities of Vesuvius - Pompeii and Herculaneum in term four this year.
And, rather than just learning all about these ancient cities from a textbook, ancient history teacher Jason Auld believes the students will benefit greatly from exploring them in person.
"The excursion will expose them to the history, and show them what it's like outside of textbooks," he said.
"These posters I've got lining the walls helps, but [the history] doesn't come alive. When they go there and see it's still there, when it comes to regurgitating information during exams, it won't just be from a textbook, it's a memory. They'll have seen the place and seen the amount of effort it took to build."
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The students are particularly looking forward to the adventure, and believe the excursion will go a long way to enhancing their studies.
"It's going to be a really good experience, something I wouldn't be able to do any other time," Cara Heinemann said.
"It will help with exams and give us more knowledge."
Claudia Bella said having Mr Auld as a guide will help them understand what they're seeing and how it relates to what they're studying.
"Having Mr Auld there with us will make [the history] easier to understand; he'll be there to guide us," Claudia Bella said.
"We'll get a lot more out of the trip history-wise, it will have more meaning," Cara added.
'"Our learning will be more in-depth than if we were to do it ourselves. Plus we get to go with a massive group from the school."
Being their first time overseas, both Cara and Claudia are most looking forward to experiencing different cultures, while others are most excited about the food.
This will be the first overseas excursion the school has organised in a number of years, and the first time students have had the opportunity to go to Europe. Previously, Moree Secondary College has run excursions to Japan and Indonesia.
With the excursion to cost $6,000 per student, the school is organising a number of fundraising initiatives over the next year to help reduce costs for parents.
Their first fundraiser is an appropriately-themed Pasta and Pizza Day on Friday, March 23.
Local businesses and members of the community will have the opportunity to order a pasta and pizza, cooked by the senior hospitality classes, which consist of a number of the ancient history students.
"Hospitality students have to do catering as part of their assessment, so Mr Davison jumped at the chance to get involved in this," Mr Auld said.
"It helps them and it helps us."
Meal deals will be $10, including a drink, with all money raised going towards the Europe excursion.
Other fundraising will include students selling chocolate boxes, a raffle at Moree on a Plate and meat trays at Moree Golf Club. A number of local businesses will also have donation tins set-up.
"The more we raise, the less they have to pay," Carol Avenue principal Paula Barton, who is one of the four teachers, including Mr Auld, Mrs Woods and Miss Lee, going on the excursion.
For more information on the Pasta and Pizza Day fundraiser, or to order a meal, call 6752 1999 or email jason.auld1@det.nsw.edu.au with your order and preferred pick-up time. Cash payments only.
