Submitted Photo Students from Minot High School, accompanied by chaperones, stand in front of The Louvre Museum in Paris, France. From left to right are Matthew Bacor, Evan Guilmino, Ryan Pederson, Shandra Stai, Kera Pederson, Rylee Carrol, Avayah Myhre, Codie Irwin, Levi Vitko, Charleigh Burns, Levon Stai, Emersyn Getchell, Isabella Pederson, Leon Yang, Madison Pfeilschiefter, Michael Stein, Faith Howe, Rylee Getchell, Maura Alexander, Zoe Bahr, Ellie Kitzmann, Anna Kerzmann, William Bentley, Evan Berg, Alicia Eslinger and Mykah Jarmin.

A group of Minot High School students recently returned from a whirlwind European trip that brought classroom lessons to life through the sights, sounds and spirit of art and history.

From June 12-14, 21 students and seven adult chaperones traveled through some of the most iconic cities in Europe as part of the Minot Public Schools’ Art Studies Abroad program. Their journey included stops in Paris, France; Barcelona, Spain; Monaco; and Florence, Pisa, Assisi and Rome, all in Italy.

“The purpose of the trip was to provide students with a unique, immersive experience in the humanities,” said Mike Stein, art teacher at Minot North High School who has led the program since around 2005. “Instead of learning solely from textbooks, students were able to engage directly with art, culture and history in a real-world setting.”

Each city brought its own artistic and cultural highlights, Stein said, from the Louvre in Paris to the Renaissance architecture of Florence and the ancient history of Rome.

“Studying art abroad allows students to experience different cultures, artistic styles and historical contexts firsthand, deepening their understanding and appreciation of the arts,” Stein said. “It also broadens their global perspective, inspires creativity, and can enhance both personal growth and academic development.”

The annual trip, organized through Education First Tours (EF Tours), takes nearly two years of planning. Stein said he will begin organizing the 2027 trip this October. Next year’s travel plans were already set in motion last fall and currently include about 30 students.

The program, which has been supported by Minot Public Schools since the early 1990s, also offers students the opportunity to earn half a credit in art. While the trip is designed around arts education, Stein emphasized that participation isn’t limited to art students.

“Although this is an Art Studies Abroad class, students do not have to be an ‘art student’ per se,” he said.

Community members have also stepped in over the years to help offset costs for students facing financial barriers, continuing to make the program accessible and inclusive.

While this year’s group was the smallest Stein has led — he’s taken as many as 60 travelers in past years — the experience was no less meaningful.

“There’s just something about seeing the works you’ve only seen in books right there in front of you,” he said.