Prescott High School student Ashley Keller called the trip “incredible.” Junior Andrew Lesso used “unforgettable” and senior Ken Ryan called it “spectacular.” Those were the prevailing thoughts of the 49 Prescott students and 11 adults who returned last week from an 11-day trip to Rome, Greece and Turkey.  

The trip was sponsored and organized by Education First, an international student travel company that creates educational and cultural experiences for people centering around visits to the world’s greatest sights and landscapes. Founded in 1965, Education First has a presence in 115 countries and is the oldest international student travel company in the world.  

This is the third time Prescott students under the direction of Prescott High School social studies teacher Jeff Ryan have traveled to Europe under the umbrella of Education First. Ryan, along with fellow group leader Tanya Sponholz, first traveled with a group of students to Ireland and the United Kingdom in 2019 and the second Prescott group visited Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria in July 2022. This year’s group, by far the largest, included visits to some of Europe's most well-known places. The itinerary included tours of the Roman Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Ruins of Pompeii, Vatican City, the Acropolis, Delphi, the ruins of Ephesus - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The trip also included a three-day cruise of the Aegean Sea with stops on the Greek Islands of Santorini and Mykonos, and the Turkish Island of Cesme.

“There were so many things we saw,” said Lesso. “The ruins of Pompeii, Delphi, and the Acropolis were all great to see. It’s just difficult to pick out one thing that stands out because it was all so cool.” 

It wasn’t just visits to the sites that drew rave reviews from students, but also the food. 

“The food was excellent, especially in Greece,” said Keller. “That is another good thing about the trip: you get an opportunity to try foods you don’t have back in the United States. That's another great part of the experience.” 

“They drive a lot differently in Greece and Italy,” said Joaquin Magee. “In both countries people would be driving right in the middle of crowded alleys and there were people on scooters weaving in and out of traffic. You had to be sure and pay attention when you were crossing the street. It was pretty crazy at times” 

All participants also raved about the tour guides and local guides during the tour. 

“Our tour guides Sofia and Kleio were fantastic,” said Ken Ryan. “They answered all of our questions and were extremely enthusiastic and helpful the entire time. We really got to know both of them very well.”

Those feelings were echoed by everyone.

“We were very lucky to have seasoned veterans as our guides,” said Jeff Ryan. “They worked together so well and had tremendous communication skills. Both connected with the group in a way that made all travelers feel welcomed, safe, and comfortable. Sophia and Kleio were exemplary.”

As far as future trips, Ryan will be bringing another group to Japan in the summer of 2026, a tour that is already full to capacity. 

“Although it appears to be a long way off, it will be here before we know it.” 

The Japan Itinerary includes visits to the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. 

When it comes to traveling on future EF trips, participants highly recommend the experience.

“Reading about these places in a textbook or seeing pictures in a magazine is one thing, but standing inside the Colosseum or walking the streets of the ancient city of Pompeii is another. It is still hard to believe I was in these places,” said Ken Ryan. 

“The trip also gives you an opportunity to connect with others,” said Lesso. “Not only with your classmates but with students from other EF groups around the country. On the cruise we got to meet students from other parts of the United States and that was really fun to make more connections.”

Keller summed things up this way.

“If you have the opportunity to travel on an EF trip, you should do it. You will have great experiences and create memories that will last a lifetime.”