From June 22 to 26, 2025, several art students from across grade divisions will embark on a trip to New York City through Germantown Academy’s Experience (GAXP) program. The trip, led by Mr. Bayard Templeton and Ms. Anne Esposito, will allow students to explore various art forms and gain insight into the world of professional artists.
The students will be in NYC for five days and four nights. Throughout the trip, the group plans to explore the artistic side of the Big Apple–from visiting the Museum of Modern Art to a tour of a public theater.
“The key of the trip is trying to get as many different types of arts as possible,” Mr. Templeton said. “So, some would be [on] the visual art side, and then a lot on the performance side.”
The group of students will get to meet, work and learn from some professional visual and performing artists.
“It’s a really cool opportunity overall,” Bella Burnett ‘28 said, “I just learn about a lot of hobbies and, whether I’m going to pursue them or not, it’s really fascinating to learn about them and see what it’s like for other people to be in those professions.”
This trip will differ from previous years as the professionals the students meet will be different, and there will also be more student input when planning the group’s activities.
“The main difference is that we have two juniors who are going to be sort of the facilitators and student leaders,” Mr. Templeton said. “They’re going to be playing a role that I’ve never had.”
In addition to being able to experience new forms of art and meet professionals in different fields of art, the faculty advisors also hope students can use their experience to gain new perspectives that they can bring back to GA.
“We want to meet different people and be exposed to different things, and then try to make the connection between what they’re seeing and what they’re experiencing into their own life,” Mr. Templeton said. “It’s really valuable to give them a different perspective, something different to focus on.”
“[When] I watch other performers on stage,” Burnett said. “I notice things that they do, and I can apply what they [did] to my acting [to] try to become better.”
Prior to the trip, the group went to see “Penelope,” a musical about the Trojan War from Odyssus’s wife’s perspective as she waits for her husband’s return. On the trip, students will have the opportunity to meet professionals, who will lead them in a mini workshop.
“Seeing those shows–those plays and musicals–and then [being] able to talk about it with the cast members,” Lauren Sass ‘26 said. “Those are going to really connect to me, because I’m going to learn so much just watching them.”
Many students are looking forward to the GAXP arts trip, as it will surely be full of new experiences that will bring opportunities for passionate students to learn from professionals and explore different artistic disciplines.