![Azalia Quinn fills out a mock ballot. On Thursday, Oct. 24 AP Government students did a pretend election to experience what it’s like. “If you can get [students] enthused about voting at a young age, the chances are higher that they’re going to continue this process throughout their adulthood,“ Brian Brown, the AP Gov teacher said.](https://mshsprospector.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/18FGwFbMo8mtfWGnVEvaqiODxDZhuV9ipRw3DAgL-1200x960.jpg)
Spanish class travels to Cabo San Lucas over Winter Break
January 23, 2015
From January 1st to January 6th, Manitou Springs High School junior Steven Jensen, junior Isaac Green, sophomore Ellie Triplett, and freshman Ben Perkins, with Spanish teacher, Senorita Gery, traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, a coastal town at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
Before the trip had even begun there was a set back: Perkins had not arrived at the airport, and would miss the flight. He had to buy a one way plane ticket to get to Mexico with the rest of the students.
As Jensen watched from the plane, he noticed that most of the land was dry with more dirt roads than paved ones. It was much like the stereotypical movie settings, he observed. However, Mexico wasn’t all like how Hollywood has made it out to be and how the students anticipated.
“I expected it to be a lot more movie-ish with like border patrol and drugs and danger,” Jensen said.
After days spent, they noticed it was not much different than life in America.
Of these six days spent in Mexico, many were spent on the beach. They went to see the Arch of Cabo San Lucas, a popular tourist destination and a good spot to see sea lions. They did not only spend time resting on the beach and eating churros (although Jensen did eat 12 churros in one sitting) and other Mexican delicacies, though – they also participated in acts of kindness.
The group moved debris from mid-September’s Hurricane Odile away from a daycare and also visited children on Epiphany Day.
Epiphany Day (known also as Three Kings Day) was spent mostly at a church they had journeyed to, where the students donated gifts for the children in the congregation.
“We’re very lucky to have what we have and I don’t think a lot of people understand that.” Jensen said.
In their free time, they took advantage of the electronics available, and watched some classic Mexican entertainment: soap operas.
The week ended with a bit of jet lag and a rapid change in temperatures. The cold Colorado temperatures were an odd experience for the group compared to the warm and sunny Mexico.
