By Zachary Burd ’19

Middle school students participated in a survey during advisor groups that asked questions such as:

What are your favorite vacation spots and why?

AND

Do you prefer hot or cold vacation spots and why?

 

These are the results to the question:

What are your favorite vacation spots and why?

 

The results:

 

Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America: 43 votes

Jersey Shore: 14 votes

Hawaii: 12 votes

California: 12 votes

Colorado/Utah: 11 votes

Canada/Alaska: 11 votes

Florida: 11 votes

Asia: 11 votes

Vermont/Maine: 10 votes

Cape Cod: 10 votes

UK/France: 10 votes

Italy/Greece: 9 votes

Pennsylvania: 8 votes

Don’t Know/Don’t Care: 6 votes

South America: 4 votes

Antarctica/The Moon: 4 votes

My Home/ My Bed: 4 votes

Don’t Like Vacations: 4 votes

Switzerland: 3 votes

Africa: 3 votes

SWAGG: 2 votes

 

 

The first chosen spots are in the Caribbean/Central America. There was a whopping 43 votes for this category, first place in the survey. There were many different votes for places in this region, but the two standout spots were Turks and Caicos and Costa Rica. They had 8 and 10 votes, respectively.

 

Turks and Caicos

This Caribbean island country is one of the smallest in the world yet boasts of some of the best beaches in the world. Especially known for its beach Grace Bay, it was rated the number 1 beach in the world by tripadvisor.com and huffingtonpost.com and number two in the world by travel.usnews.com. The beach is known for extremely warm turquoise water with almost no waves, and you could just sit on the beach and exquisite shells wash up to your feet and tropical fish swim between your toes.

 

Costa Rica

This tiny Central America country holds 5% of the world’s animal and plant diversity. Newark Academy had a trip there last year, which may have affected the vote tally. Filled with lush forest full of brilliant plants and amazing diverse wildlife, about 40 to 45% of Costa Rica’s land is national parks and protected areas, a world high, compared to the United States’ of around 18%. Russia actually has 1.5% of protected land. With activities like scuba diving, beautiful waterfalls, and world-class beaches, how could you go wrong?

 

 

But surely you haven’t forgotten the good old red, white, and blue? With some of the top contenders being California, Florida, Hawaii, Colorado, Utah, Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania, Cape Cod, and the Jersey Shore, and a combined stupendous 92 votes, I think not.

 

Florida

A perfect winter vacation spot, Florida is a common destination for many families. With beaches, Disney World, and something for everyone, Florida is a nice break from the harsh New Jersey winter. With a beautiful ocean surrounding it on all sides, Florida has an amazing experience waiting for you wherever you go. And with only a quick three hour flight, you’ll be on vacation before you can blink.

 

Colorado, Utah, and Maine, Vermont, and Pennsylvania

Did you know that very many Middle Schoolers are avid skiers?  Colorado/Utah, Pennsylvania, and Vermont/Maine, all skiing states, were among the top in the survey with 11, 8, and 10 votes, respectively. Many students’ families have ski houses there. Some Middle Schoolers go skiing every weekend during the winter. “Yeah,” an anonymous tenth grader said, “I go skiing almost every weekend in the winter in Pennsylvania and I’m on a ski team.” You might wonder how he manages to do his homework. “Well, I get a lot of it done in the car on the way and I do extra homework ahead of time during the week,” he says.
Hawaii

A tropical vacation but still in the United States, Middle Schoolers raved about Hawaii in the survey. “Hawaii is the best,” an anonymous Middle Schooler said. “My family went and now we want to go back every year!” Teacher Ms. Sparacino says, “I loved the Pearl Harbor museum! It was a history teacher’s dream!” A unique experience, Hawaii offers something of everything to everyone from history to the beach and the ocean to dancing the hula.

 

 

 

California

California is huge, and every part of it has a different exciting adventure. With your choice of San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, and so much more besides, Middle Schoolers enthusiastically endorsed California in their surveys. Nicknamed the Golden State, and for good reason, California has everything you could want; Disneyland, national monuments such as the Golden Gate Bridge, beaches, and beautiful weather. Is there a reason not to go to California?

 

The Jersey Shore

Even though it is still rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy, the Jersey Shore is an amazing place with boardwalks and amusement parks and great beaches. Close, accessible, and good for day trips, many people have beach houses here. Especially voted for was Cape May, our own little Cape Cod. There were 14 votes for this category, second in the survey.

 

Cape Cod

A popular vacation spot, Cape Cod is a further drive than the Jersey Shore but many people think that it is worth it. With very good beaches, great restaurants and villages on all sides, golf, tennis, amusement parks, and places to visit such as lighthouses, why wouldn’t you want to go?

 

 

 

Europe

Europe is a slightly bigger trip than some of the other vacation spots but many people love Europe. Europe is full of history, from the Coliseum to Stonehenge to the Parthenon. It is also full of some many different cultures crammed together in a cramped space, creating a unique environment like no other. With great food and so much to do, from touring of ancient churches in London to clothes shopping in Paris to watching plays in Moscow to touring art museums in Berlin to taking boat rides in the canals of Venice to watching soccer in Barcelona- Europe is a fantastic place.

 

 

Antarctica/The Moon

There were four whole votes for this category, two for Antarctica and two for the moon. One anonymous Middle Schooler has actually been to Antarctica! The other votes were because they wish to go there. (But it would be cool to have a Newark Academy student in space!)

 

My Home/My Bed/SWAGG

They were six votes for this category, one that said my home and three for my bed. They were also two surveys that just said SWAGG. Really people! Get some imagination!

 

 

 

 

These are the results for the question:

Do you prefer hot or cold vacation spots and why?

 

The results:

                                                                                                                                                                                     

HOT: 104 votes

COLD: 59 votes

 

Students had very interesting things to say about this question. As you can see from the results, the majority favored hot vacation spots. Many of the students said the same thing. You could say great minds think alike. People favored hot vacation spots because they liked the beach, pool, ocean, good weather, relaxation, being able to do outdoor activities (sports), getting tan, no jacket, exercise, and just because they love summer. Students said that they loved cold vacation spots because they like skiing, snowboarding, sledding, ice skating, hot chocolate, no sunburn, not getting sweaty, and no sticky or humid weather.

 

Choices for vacation spots were very varied from person to person. The choices differed so much that they stretched out through all seven continents, but I am sure that each and every vacation spot is amazing in its own way.