CCSD students to go to Italy in 2026

In summer 2026, Clarke County high school students in any grade will be able to take an 11 day trip to Italy, exploring cities and historical sites across the country. David Forker, the Clarke County School District Coordinator for ESOL programs, will lead the trip, organizing it through the Education First tour group.

“My role will be to lead the group through the process of getting signed up, and then the travelers sign up with the company, who then takes care of all of the logistics such as booking claims, lodging accommodations, any museums that we go to and meals,” Forker said.

The tour will go through famous Italian cities like Rome and Pompeii. Forker will act as a tour guide for the trip, leading the group through the country, museums and historical locations.  Teachers and parents can also attend. 

This trip is Forker’s first time organizing an international trip for students.

“I chose Italy because I thought it would get a lot of interest. I’m not sure why I thought that, other than Italian culture like Italian food, pizza, pasta and all those kinds of things. I worked with the company to identify an area to take as a first trip, thinking it might appeal to a broader audience,” Forker said.

Although this is Forker’s first time facilitating travel for students, it will not be his first time traveling through EF tours. Forker first traveled with EF tours in the summer of 2024.

“My only trip that I’ve actually taken out of the country was a trip that I earned a scholarship with with EF this past summer. I had the opportunity to travel to Japan and South Korea, and the trip was designed for school and district administrators to experience what EF does for students. I was very impressed with the experience: the way they handled all the things like lodging, the travel accommodations — everything was taken care of,” Forker said.

International trips to European countries have been done in previous years. Willem Swindler, a senior at Cedar Shoals, went on a school-sponsored trip to Europe, including France, Italy and Vatican City, in 2023. He recommends the trip for anyone who can go on it.

“If you think that it’s going to benefit you, and you’re going to learn a lot, and it’s one of your interests, I would 100% take the trip if you can afford it,” Swindler said.
The trip will last 11 days total, and an interest meeting will be held on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. on Google Meets.  Interested students can RSVP for the meeting using this link.