Fourteen Douglas County School System middle school students, parents and school system
chaperones traveled nearly halfway around the world to explore Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii during the recent winter break.
The students on the adventure were selected from among 207 applicants who submitted an essay last year about how the trip would enhance their growth as global citizens. All of the students’ expenses on the once-in-a-lifetime adventure were paid for with support of the Douglas County Board of Education and Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority.
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Dr. Mitch Springer was one of the school system chaperones on the trip. Springer said the students and adults were fascinated as they traversed the Pacific learning about the different cultures and seeing things they’d never seen before.
In New Zealand, the group visited the country’s largest city, Auckland, and Rotorua, which is located on the Bay of Plenty and is known for its Māori culture. They experienced a dinner festival and learned how the Māori, New Zealand’s indigenous people, first arrived in the country 800 years ago.
The group also learned about New Zealand jade and got to shear a sheep.
In Australia, the group visited the big cities of Melbourne and Sydney, as well as Cairns near the 
country’s northeastern coast.
They learned about the colonial period in Australia and the aboriginal culture in the island country.
They also encountered a Cassowary bird, which Springer said is flightless, nearly the size of an ostrich and comes from an ancient lineage.
They also got to pet koalas and kangaroos at a petting zoo and learned about the large fruit bats and poisonous snakes unique to Australia.
They even took boomerang and surfing lessons and snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef. And they explored the famous Sydney Opera House on a special private tour.
They tried kangaroo pies, which are similar to a Shepherd's pie but with kangaroo meat. Springer said there is also a big Asian influence in Australia and New Zealand and many of the restaurants in both countries were Asian-inspired.
In Hawaii, they visited Pearl Harbor and learned about the indigenous culture.
They tried purple sweet potatoes and poi (a traditional paste made from fermented taro root) and learned about the decline of pineapple farming in Hawaii.
Springer said the most fascinating thing he saw on the adventure was the Cassowary bird in the Australian rainforest.
