The 9-11 Memorial was a moving experience which began by looking at the profound fountains at Ground Zero, built in the place where the Twin Towers previously stood. Inside the museum a gripping short film about the evacuation of lower Manhattan by boats gave us a greater understanding of how trapped people must have felt on the island.
The historic exhibition featured a range of artefacts from the time about people who lost their lives and loved ones and the city’s recovery and resilience. We took the ferry out to Staten Island and back which was a great way to see the Statue of Liberty and get awesome views of the city from the Hudson. We’ve completed our first of two Broadway workshops at Ripley Grier Studios. This one mirrored a rehearsal of ‘Hamilton’, with a professional musical accompanist, and an actor who has starred in Hamilton for eight years. We rehearsed the first verse and chorus of ‘The Schuyler Sisters’ from the show, complete with singing and choreography. A valuable Q&A afterwards allowed us to find out more about working as a professional on Broadway.
The beautiful Central Park did not disappoint with incredible scenery and ice-skating where the students showed the teachers a thing or two on the ice. We’ve had two fantastic, guided tours; one of Madison Square Garden to see many tributes, historical moments of the building, and many of the different seats, including the private suites and the press bridge within the arena. We also got to see some college basketball teams practice for their upcoming games.
Second, a tour of the landmark Radio City Music Hall, where we were taken back in time to the opulent 1930s. We learned about the building’s history and saw the auditorium, once the largest in the world. We even got to meet a current Rockette who performs in their Christmas Spectacular. It’s hard to believe how much we’ve seen and done in just four days, and we can’t wait to continue this great adventure.
By Henry Ebbels and Oscar Daniel
Our trip to New York City so far has been a blend of sports, history, and iconic landmarks, all while enduring the cold and wet winter weather.
On the first day we went to Madison square garden to watch the New York Knick’s game against the Detroit pistons and explored the depths of the city while trying new foods, such as the iconic $1 pizza.
On the second day we took the subway to the massive MetLife Stadium to watch the New York Giants take on the New Orleans Saints, where the saints ended up winning in a tight low scoring affair.
Following our NFL game, we made our way to the extremely busy and colourful Times Square, where the bright lights and crowds set the tone for our view of the city and was unlike anything we had seen before.
Our visit to the 9/11 Memorial was a moving experience that offered the boys a moment of reflection towards the past struggles of the people of New York City.
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge showed us wide views of the Manhattan skyline, even when the cold wind and rain was against us.
Our basketball teams later played against Franklin D. Roosevelt High School. The Junior Varsity team got away with a solid win, while Varsity fought hard in a narrow loss, unfortunately leading for most of the game but getting beaten right on the buzzer. We left in good spirits though after meeting new people and experiencing the aspects of American basketball.
Exploring the beautiful Central Park was enjoyable and the view from the Top of the Rock was foggy, but unforgettable. During our travels, we’ve experienced New York staples such as pizza, pretzels, and fast food such as Popeyes, all while navigating through the city’s fast environment.
