Senior spring break is an iconic week for students to celebrate the end of their high school journey with friends and family. From beaches to mountains to all-inclusive resorts, Berkley seniors traveled everywhere over spring break, each making lasting memories. Many have been looking forward to this week since their freshman year, with planning and budgeting in the works since then. As always, a large group of students traveled together to one destination, but there were a ton of smaller groups of families and friends who went on their own separate trips as well.

Cancun, Mexico
For at least the past decade, Berkley seniors and their families have organized a large group to travel to one place together, allowing the seniors one last send-off surrounded by a ton of their lifelong classmates and friends. This year, the total number of students in Cancun surpassed 90, in addition to parents and other family members. A set of parents stepped up early in the process to help organize the trip, with discussion beginning over a year ago. The group went through HD Travel, a travel agency, which greatly helped streamline the booking process.
They stayed at a Barcelo Maya Palace, an all-inclusive resort located right on the Gulf. “It was definitely one of the best trips of my life so far,” senior Gretchen Stief expressed. The weather remained in the mid-80s and sunny all week, with the UV exceeding 11, while Michigan’s highest during the peak summer months does not even exceed 9. When asking the seniors what their favorite parts about the trip were, answers varied widely.

For some, including Stief, the food was a definite highlight. “The buffets were usually super good, and although not everything there was for everyone, there were a ton of different options. We also made reservations for some dinners, like hibachi; it was amazing,” Stief shared. The all-inclusive aspect of the trip was definitely ideal for the large group, since no one had to worry about logistics or spending too much on individual meals or drinks.
Alana White, another senior on the trip, expressed simply how much she enjoyed the pools and beaches, saying, “I loved that no matter where you went, you could always find friends from school at one pool or another, all doing something different and having fun.” Other’s favorite parts included the amazing views or excursions they went on outside of the resort, including a boat catamaran and snorkeling.

In addition to the daytime relaxation and fun, the nightlife was always eventful for the group. The travel agency organized both a neon party and a whiteout party on two of the nights, bringing the group together. There were also several other school groups there from Michigan, including North Farmington, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, and Walled Lake Northern, adding to the fun and craziness of the trip.
Overall, the consensus for the Cancun group was that the trip was definitely a highlight of their high school years overall. “Even though a Mexico resort might not be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, we will never have that many of our childhood friends and their families all in one place, with no worries other than when to be at the beach, ever again,” Stief expressed.

Sanibel Island, Florida
Instead of the large group trip, many others opted for smaller group trips with their closest friends and family. Izzy Zammit and Annabel Sturtz spent the week in Sanibel Island, where they rented a condo on the canal and spent their days soaking in the sunshine and peaceful surroundings. Zammit highlighted their typical mornings and explained, “We would make our coffee every morning outside, and manatees would just be out floating and getting sun. We even think one of them had a baby!” For the two friends, the trip was a perfect, relaxing getaway. Similarly to the Mexico trip, they began planning about a year in advance. They stayed six nights and flew both ways. For Zammit, the trip offered a special opportunity to bond with her mom specifically before heading off to college. “We have a super big family, so it was really nice to get to spend some alone time with her and hang out with Annabel and her mom,” she noted. Overall, they spent a ton of time on the beach, went to cute dinner places, got acai bowls, and simply relaxed in the warm weather.

Japan
Instead of the more typical beach getaway, on the opposite side of the globe, you could find Ella Hesano on her spring break trip. Hesano took a trip to Japan with her dad. They traveled to cities all over the country, including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Akamakura, taking the bullet train between. “We have been talking about this trip since middle school,” she says. “It’s something we’ve always wanted to do together.” They stayed for a total of ten days, time well spent after a 13-hour flight. Hesano highlighted her favorite parts of the trip, including trying local foods, visiting hot springs, and going on tours of the cities. This trip was definitely something very special for Hesano and her dad, especially before she goes off to college next year. “It was a super once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am glad I decided on this rather than a bigger group trip,” she noted.

Los Angeles, California
Traveling back to North America, this time on the west coast, you could find seniors Elliot Hall and Robert Laczkovich. The two took an exciting trip to Los Angeles for the week, staying in a house outside of Hollywood. They attended Hall’s dad’s movie premiere that took place in the city for “Black Heat,” released on March 28. In addition to this exciting night, Hall and Laczkovich went hiking, went to the beach, and took a trip to Universal. They also went to an abundance of different restaurants and tried a lot of food, and Hall highlighted that one of his favorites was In & Out, of course.

Costa Rica
Back to the tropical beach life, senior Ella Francis traveled to Costa Rica with her family. When choosing where to travel to for her break, she noted that “I’ve always wanted to go to Costa Rica and see the rainforests, so it was always one of my top places to visit, and the warm weather was definitely a draw.” Francis and her family stayed for about seven days, spending a ton of time at the ocean. They also did a few tours where she ziplined, visited waterfalls, and hiked through the rainforests. “Getting to go somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit and experiencing so many new things was a really special experience for my senior year,” Francis said. “It was different from any other vacation I’ve been on, but it was definitely my favorite.

Overall, senior spring break for Berkley students is always an exciting time. It takes different forms for everyone, but for most, it is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and get away one last time before graduating high school.. Heading into the next chapter of their lives, seniors will take the memories and bonds with family and friends they created on these trips with them wherever they go.