Innovations in the Arts - Newark Academy

When
Someday
BY MARCIA WORTH-BAKER
Promise
Became a
A Lifelong Dream Was Fulfilled
When Robin Giles ’12 Traveled to Antarctica
While his classmates watched the November rains fall,
Robin Giles ’12 and his father, Walter, headed south.
They flew to Santiago, Chile and then to the Falkland
Islands. From there, they took a boat to South Georgia,
across the Scotia Sea, to Elephant Island, and to the Antarctic
Peninsula. The trip, which lasted three weeks, was long in
the planning. “I wanted to see Antarctica since I was four,”
explained Robin. “I asked my parents, who said, ‘Someday.’
That someday became a promise.” Working closely with
members of administration and faculty to coordinate dates,
the Giles family booked the trip two years ago, when Robin
was in sixth grade. The planning intensified as the departure
date grew closer.
“I did schoolwork before I left,” said Robin. “I studied Latin
and math on the trip, as well. I talked to all my teachers
quite a bit before I left, so I fit pretty easily into school when
I returned.” His classmates shared Robin’s enthusiasm for
Antarctica; he presented a slide show to the middle school
that showcased highlights of the trip. “I loved seeing the
landscapes of the Antarctic Peninsula. The ice there is clear
white, but also shades of blue. The water is pristine, and as
bright as Caribbean water, which surprised me.” Before the
trip, Robin recalls that classmates wondered why he wanted
to go. “Some of them asked me to bring back a penguin,”
laughs Robin. “After seeing the pictures, they seemed to
understand the trip better.”
“My trip connects with what I’ve learned at Newark Academy
because I had a global experience that gave me a better
understanding of the effect of humans on our environment,”
says Robin. “I hope that the kids in the middle school
understood that from what I said and from the pictures I
showed to them.” While in Antarctica, he met fellow travelers
from all around the globe. “I heard that Botswana is really
interesting,” Robin muses. “I’d like to see the wildlife and
meet the people. Maybe someday I can go.” If the past is
any guide to Robin’s future, that “someday” will be soon.
NA NEWS spring 2008
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