In mid-January, members of the class of 2025 attended the annual senior trip for three days at the Villa Roma Resort in the Catskills. The getaway offered students a chance to unwind, bond with classmates, and make memories.
The chosen location, Villa Roma Resort, has been the destination of the senior trip for the past three years. Coordinator of Student Activities Jamie Baranoff, who helped to organize the trip, said, “Many of the resorts we used to visit are no longer available to us. We like Villa Roma because there are a lot of activities both indoors and outdoors.”
Senior Class President Andrew Gurcharan reflected on the trip, saying, “The senior trip was very successful as many seniors participated in the various activities Villa Roma had to offer. Many people were able to experience skiing for the first time with little to no injuries [and were able to] enjoy the delightful food they had to offer.”
For many, the activities offered at the resort were the highlight of the trip. Seniors had the opportunity to enjoy bouncy houses, bowling, volleyball, swimming, skiing and snow tubing. Senior Emily Dong said, “My favorite activity would definitely be skiing because me and my friends practically spent the entire day dedicated to skiing out in the snow, and it was all our first times.”
Beyond the planned activities, many seniors found the trip an opportunity to step out of their routines and connect with classmates in a new environment. Senior Vivian Oksenhendler said, “the trip allowed people to interact with each other more than they usually would, but some just stuck to their usual groups.”
Vivian also said that she’d have preferred a different location. “Villa Roma is a little outdated,” she said, “and I feel like there are better resorts out there.”
Others, however, said they appreciate the tradition of the resort. Senior Kourtney de Castro said, “I don’t think we should switch destinations, THHS already has a strong connection with the resort, and it’s unlike what we see in the city, so I think more students should experience that.”
Despite the tradition, some students chose not to attend. Ms. Baranoff said, “We had a really great time, but this year only about 50 percent of the class attended. We would love to have a larger portion of future classes attend and have a good time.”
Senior Ivan Ho, who didn’t attend the trip, said, “I initially wanted to go on the trip if my friends wanted to, but after learning more about the resort my friends decided it wasn’t to our taste.”
Senior Ava Jack said, “I think they could advertise the destination better, maybe update pictures of the rooms and parties from previous years, as well as maybe briefs of the activities or past senior reviews would have gotten more people excited about attending.”
Andrew, however, said that only minor adjustments need to be made: “If there was one thing to be improved on, it would be to have a pre-made playlist the DJ could utilize in order to ensure the music is catered to the grade’s taste,” he said. “Overall, the event was a great success.”
