TSS students return from the high seas, tropical climes
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Fort Simpson (Mar 30/01) - Seven eligible graduates from Thomas Simpson School savoured spring break in style last week.
They flew to Los Angeles, spent a few days, and then took a cruise liner to Mexico and Catalina Island as part of their grad trip.
They went horseback riding along the Baja peninsula. They played volleyball on the deck of the luxurious ship.
They lounged on the tropical beaches of Catalina Island.
They caught a glimpse of the lifestyles of the rich and famous while touring Hollywood and the upscale neighbourhoods of Beverly Hills.
They even saw actor Tom Skerritt and legendary pianist and composer Burt Bacharach in person!
"We drove around L.A. from 2 p.m to 8 p.m. in a limo," said student Kaylee Brown. "We saw Mel Gibson's house and Sharon Stone's house... it was fun."
Classmate Gabe Byatt said seeing L.A. Lakers' basketball star Kobe Bryant's Lamborghini sports car was "pretty cool."
The time spent on board the cruise liner was also very amusing, he added.
"They want to keep you busy and full as much as they can. There's a disco running every evening, and comedians and a jazz show," said Byatt, who was a little concerned about getting back into Canada as he lost his passport early in the trip.
Of course, the cruise was the pay-off for a great deal of fund-raising and hard work. The students held bake sales, rummage sales, a slave auction, raffled gift baskets, held dances and shovelled a whole lot of driveways.
It was the school's first grad trip. Grad class member James Erasmus said the whole idea came together rather fortuitously.
"We were just reading the newspaper one day and saw a discount (trip) and said, 'Okay, let's do it," he said, adding that it was definitely worthwhile. "I enjoyed every moment."
Byatt concurred.
"We just wanted to show that it can be done. It was a lot of work. A lot of times we didn't want to do it, but it was all good in the end," he said.
The other members of the class who also enjoyed the sights were Cathy Blondin, Jermaine Gargan, Stephanie Paterson and Carsen Hardisty.
They were chaperoned by Brian and Terry Jaffray.
