With how globally interconnected society has become, the world is our classroom. As we strive to cultivate academic excellence, leadership, and a sense of community, our Global Studies and Travel Program has emerged as an essential pillar in realizing these values. Through immersive travel experiences, our students aren’t just learning about the world from a classroom setting but becoming part of it.
Nurturing Citizens of the World
The mission behind this program, led by Kyle McGimsey, Director of Global Travel and Studies, isn’t simply to add stamps to a passport, but to encourage our students to think on a grander scale. Only by experiencing different cultures firsthand can students truly immerse themselves in how people live in other parts of the world.
“We want our students to become citizens of the world—not just of Trinity or Winter Park or Florida,” McGimsey explains. “By exposing them to worlds beyond their own, we’re building problem solvers and resilient thinkers, grounded in empathy and curiosity.
Whether students are standing in Shakespeare’s home in England after studying Hamlet or tracing the bustling streets of Rome guided by a teacher who once lived there, these journeys allow them to transform abstract lessons into a living reality. The impact of seeing, touching, and experiencing history and culture firsthand goes far beyond what’s achievable inside even the most dynamic classroom.
Living Our Core Values, Globally
Building a Trinity family is at the heart of everything we do, and venturing out together strengthens those bonds in a way nothing else can. Our trips, which operate as close-knit groups, foster meaningful relationships between students, teachers, and peers. Students build a level of connection, mentorship, and camaraderie through shared challenges and new adventures, which become the glue of lasting friendships.
The pursuit of educational excellence is equally central to every journey. We purposefully select destinations and experiences that link to what students are studying, creating a sense of immersion with the material that can’t come from a textbook. Students might practice their Italian on the streets of Rome, perform jazz in Cape Town, or conduct ecological research in Thailand. Each trip is thoughtfully designed to inspire passion and spark curiosity in new disciplines.
Growing Ethical, Resilient Leaders
Travel is, by its very nature, unpredictable. Delayed trains, missed directions, and language barriers are all part of the adventure. McGimsey has watched students learn to navigate this uncertainty within the safety net of teachers’ guidance and emerge more independent, confident, and resilient. These experiences lay the foundation for ethical leadership as students realize the richness of different cultures and perspectives, learning to approach the world with nuance, humility, and respect.
Curating Exceptional Experiences
Each year, our faculty collaboratively designs a diverse portfolio of global experiences—not just as tourists, but as scholars and explorers. It starts with asking what the school can provide that’s deeply connected to both the passions of teachers and the interests of students. The whole purpose is to craft an experience that your students can’t get by booking a trip on their own.
Upcoming trips reflect this diversity: a World War II tour of Europe aligns directly with students’ historical studies; a theater immersion at the Edinburgh International Festival offers young performers a world stage; a service-focused biology journey in Thailand enables hands-on scientific engagement, while the jazz band and robotics teams have the opportunity to connect with counterparts in Cape Town.
Measuring the Impact of Global Studies
The success of these programs is best measured in students’ growth and stories. Students, particularly those awarded travel grants, are encouraged to share their experiences in assemblies, reflecting on what they’ve learned, the skills they’ve gained, and the new perspectives they’ve developed. McGimsey hopes to see these testimonials expand into multimedia showcases shared with the broader Trinity community in the near future.
Overcoming Challenges and Expanding Access
One of the greatest ongoing challenges is financial accessibility. International travel involves significant costs, so the school collaborates with agencies specializing in student experiences to keep trips as affordable as possible without sacrificing quality. By offering travel grants and thoughtfully structuring each trip, we are committed to breaking down barriers and ensuring that every family has a pathway for their student to participate. For McGimsey, making travel accessible is a priority because of the meaningful travel opportunities he himself had as a student.
“I did a fair bit of school travel myself,” McGimsey said. “On a middle school trip, I went to Greece and Italy. When I was in college, I did another trip to Greece, and I did a more extensive summer program in grad school as a teaching assistant in Rome. It just kept coming back [to me]. Being there makes so much of a difference.”
At Trinity Prep, one of our primary goals is helping students become global citizens. By bringing culture to campus with events where families can share their traditions and offering international travel opportunities that tie into classroom lessons, we encourage deep learning about the world and each student’s place in it. Learn more about how our private school in Orlando can help your child become a compassionate global citizen by visiting our website.