A trip to Europe will occur in the summer of 2021 with our RCHS students, but they are not going for the culture. They will be going for a tour of many significant places during a dark time within history: World War II. Dr Sandra Hayslette will serve as the main adult to go on the trip.

“I have always wanted to visit places that had to do with World War II that I have not seen before,” said Hayslette, a world history and sociology teacher leading the group. “The opportunity to do it with a set of guides that I don’t have to select, but can be selected by professionals to help us is too good to pass up.”

On this trip, students will visit many different locations within Europe that were prevalent during World War II.

“We fly from Roanoke and start in London with Churchill’s war rooms and the impact of the bombing campaign,” said Hayslette. “Then we cross the English Channel and arrive in Normandy, on the anniversary of D-Day, and visit Utah Beach. Then we go to Paris and learn about the occupation and resistance in France.”

Once they are done with France, the group will move inland.

“After that we go to Belgium and Germany and talk about the final battles of the war. Finally, we end in Berlin and spend some time talking about the liberation of Berlin and the end of the War in Europe. Then we fly home, it’s about 11 days so it’s really packed.”

They tour from about June 1 to June 15. In the meantime, the parents of students will have the time to come up with the money to pay for the trip.

“Part of the long wait is for the funding, and that is a major part of it,” said Hayslette. “The company who is helping us with it encourages us to figure out when to do it and give us a big window of time to fundraise.”

Even if families can’t come up with some money, Hayslette has many fundraising opportunities that the students can take part in. 

“If you’re working you get the chance to save and figure out where that expenditure is gonna come from over time,” said Hayslette. “We’re also going to do several fundraisers as a group before we leave.”

With the tour a long way away, it has given time for the students to prepare for the trip and be ready for the memories that it will bring.