History of the BNS
Social Studies "Life Experiences" Program
2001 - Present
The BNS Social Studies "Life Experiences Program" is the longest running travel program at Burnaby North Secondary. Hundreds of students have participated in this travel program to Europe and Africa and we are the most successful travel program in the district. Since 2001, we have had trips to Italy, Greece, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, Monaco, Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt.
The program started 12 years ago at Burnaby North in our Socials Department and every year we have provided amazing educational opportunities for our students through tour companies such as EF Educational Tours and Canadian Academic Travel Services (C.A.T.S.). This is an opportunity of a life time for many students and we strive to make it as relevant, educational, and memorable as possible. Our Social Studies Department has a committed group of well-traveled teachers who plan, organize, and take the students overseas each spring. Each teacher involved has traveled overseas with students on numerous occasions and have traveled internationally on their own as well. In total, the teacher leaders of the Life Experiences Program have led more than 25 trips to Europe (and Northern Africa).
To commemorate the 10 year anniversary, we did a tour of Egypt- The Egyptian Kingdom 10-Day Tour. The highlights included visiting the Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, Kom Ombo, and a cruise down the Nile River to Luxor and Aswan! This was an amazing trip! In 2011/2012 we took 24 students to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Leichenstien and visited the Munich Concentration camp, the BMW headquarters, Royal Palace Museums in Vienna, and Lucerne.
In 2014, we went to Turkey and Greece.The highlights of the trip included visiting the sites of Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, and more. We then ventured to the ruins of Troy, the historical ruins of Ephesus, and boarded a 3 day Aegean cruise to Santorini and Crete to visit the Minoan palace of Knossos. We ended our trip in the ancient city of Athens with a visit to the Acropolis and day excursion to Corinth.
The program started 12 years ago at Burnaby North in our Socials Department and every year we have provided amazing educational opportunities for our students through tour companies such as EF Educational Tours and Canadian Academic Travel Services (C.A.T.S.). This is an opportunity of a life time for many students and we strive to make it as relevant, educational, and memorable as possible. Our Social Studies Department has a committed group of well-traveled teachers who plan, organize, and take the students overseas each spring. Each teacher involved has traveled overseas with students on numerous occasions and have traveled internationally on their own as well. In total, the teacher leaders of the Life Experiences Program have led more than 25 trips to Europe (and Northern Africa).
To commemorate the 10 year anniversary, we did a tour of Egypt- The Egyptian Kingdom 10-Day Tour. The highlights included visiting the Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, Kom Ombo, and a cruise down the Nile River to Luxor and Aswan! This was an amazing trip! In 2011/2012 we took 24 students to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Leichenstien and visited the Munich Concentration camp, the BMW headquarters, Royal Palace Museums in Vienna, and Lucerne.
In 2014, we went to Turkey and Greece.The highlights of the trip included visiting the sites of Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, and more. We then ventured to the ruins of Troy, the historical ruins of Ephesus, and boarded a 3 day Aegean cruise to Santorini and Crete to visit the Minoan palace of Knossos. We ended our trip in the ancient city of Athens with a visit to the Acropolis and day excursion to Corinth.
Eurotrip 2016 - Italian Highlights Tour
For 2016, the Social Studies Life Experience Program is pleased to announce our upcoming trip to Italy. Please check our Eurotrip 2016 page to get more details. Some of the highlights will include: Rome, Florence, and Venice. We will visit the Leaning Tower in Pisa as well as the ancient ruins of Pompeii.
