This winter break was special in so many ways! For many students, it was a chance to relax and connect with family and friends, as well as catch up on some free time for self care, hobbies, and sports. Several students took this time off  to even work on some new skills and travel to exotic places that they have never been! Here are some students’ replies to the question below on their favorite memories and moments they loved in particular:  

Question: What was your favorite memory/experience from winter break or recap?

“For winter break, my family and I went to Chile after not going there for 10 years. I was 4 the last time I went so I really didn’t remember anything about it. It was very nice to finally be able to meet all my family members again and now I actually remember them for the future. It was exciting to see where my parents and grandparents all grew up. I was amazed [at] how different life is in Chile than in the U.S. One of my favorite memories was spending new years with all my family members from over there. This trip was probably one of my favorite vacations ever and I hope I can go back to Chile in a couple of years.” – Freshman Valentina Gutierrez 

“My favorite moments during winter break were when I went with some friends to the pool. I had a lot of fun the day I played soccer with some of my friends because after that we went out to eat at a mall. Another special moment was when I celebrated Christmas with my parents.” – Junior Andrea Porras

“This Christmas was my last Christmas as a kid, and when my mom asked me what I wanted I chose Disney World. It was the best experience I could’ve asked for. I enjoyed getting to be a little kid again and the cold weather was the cherry on top!” -Senior Diana Angel

“Winter break was very relaxing and fun. The holidays with the family were great and welcoming the new year with a hispanic family is always fun. I also went ice skating and caught up on my reading.” – Junior Katheline Reyes

“This winter break I went to New York with my best friend Olivia. We had so much fun together. We went to so many places and shopped a lot!” – Sophomore Ashley Hoadley

“My winter break was really good! It felt really long, which is always the best for any holiday break; in my experience they usually feel super short and I think the main reason was because we had Christmas so early so it felt like we had an extra week after the holidays. I went to Jacksonville and spent time with my friends’ family and the best part was that it was super cold. I know a lot of people down here don’t really like the cold but I actually appreciated it because I moved from up north and I missed the cold Christmases so it was a reminiscent experience. I also binged on a lot of TV that had been on my list for a long time so overall, my break was very rejuvenating (even though I didn’t get much sleep).” – Senior Meakayla Ambroise 

“Although my break felt very short I enjoyed it as I played soccer, pickleball, volleyball, and started going to the gym with my brother. I also binged watched the whole Harry Potter and Star Wars series and watched the new Avatar: The way of Water movie. Sadly I ended my break with having to catch up on all my school work but it was short and simple.” – Junior Emily Palomino

“My favorite moment this winter break was playing soccer with my friends because I had a lot of fun and being around them always brightens my day.” – Senior Branden Vasquez 

“My winter break experience was extremely calming and refreshing. I got to go on a beautiful vacation away to North Carolina, where I got to sightsee, climb mountains, tube, and see the coolest excursions. Overall, the vacation away from home helped me clear my thoughts and really form a determination to start off 2023 with a strong start.” – Junior Sienna Garro

“Winter break for me was super fun. I was able to spend it in Ohio with my family and it was cool to see some snow and be in a colder climate.” – Junior Sarah Schnell

“This winter break was absolutely STUPENDOUS. I played a lot of soccer with friends and got to watch a bunch of movies. I also slept like crazy and went to bed really late everyday and did all my homework at the last minute!!” – Senior Diego Torres

“I didn’t do much during winter break but I still found it really relaxing. I got lots of sleep and had some family over, plus we had some good food!!” – Freshman Jasmine Salmon