With higher prices and randomized placement, Discovery Week 2025 had Westridge Upper School students concerned before it even began. Now that Discovery Week is over, junior and senior doubts about cost and return on investment have been mostly silenced.

One senior, Isla R., who went to Namibia, said, “We had so many really unique experiences, like walking with cheetahs and feeding baby baboons…It was so worth it, like I would’ve paid even more money just for that trip because the experiences we were provided with were so once in a lifetime.”

Similarly, Jordan B. ’25, who ranked Japan first but went to Chile, said, “I think in the end, I was very glad I went to Chile, because I never would have thought to go there on my own.” She continued, “It was a really cool experience…I thought it was really well planned. It was a perfect balance of activities and free time.” 

Lindsay B. ’25, who went to Japan, said, “Immersing myself into the culture and food while being with my peers was a great experience.”

Freshmen and sophomores, who were assigned local trips, felt they overpaid for trips that were under-planned. “I liked learning about how to golf, but a lot of the days we didn’t get to do that that much…it was really go with the flow, like, we’ll end two hours early,” said Avin M. ’27, who went on the Art and Science of Golf trip. “I liked it, but I think it is just a lot of money that we all spend on Discovery week, and I wouldn’t say a lot of things are worth that much money,” she continued.

Joovy C. ’27, who went on the local Creative Tech Trip, said, “I feel like the schedule could have been a bit more well-planned. Like, some of the days felt like we were just doing the same thing for the entire trip.”

This year, a new Upper School administration spearheaded Discovery Week and was determined to make Discovery Week more equitable in terms of trip placement and cost, which were concerns for many students before going on their trips.

Although most students received their first choice, some students were unhappy about getting their second or third choice and felt that the ranking system was unfair. “We’re not entitled to our first choices,” said Vivian S. ’26, who went to Utah, her second choice. Ultimately, many students felt grateful for not getting their first choice after all. Avin ranked the Cinema City local trip as her first choice, but went on her second choice, the Art of Science and Golf. Despite her initial disappointment, Avin said, “I am happy with what happened. It was nice to branch out, because I wasn’t with a lot of my friends, so I did get to talk to a lot of new people.” 

This year, trip costs increased by $500 for the junior trips and $650 for the senior trips. Assistant Director of Upper School Ms. Kerri Epps said, “We talk to multiple vendors and try to find competitive pricing. It’s sort of that sweet spot of, we want a really quality experience with a reasonable price.”

Despite the increase in price, Isla said, “My Discovery Week trip was definitely worth the cost. I went to Namibia and just the plane flights alone…would be a lot because Africa is so far.” Jordan also believed that her trip to Chile was worth the money and added, “I honestly have no idea what the costs are, because we [had an] organization taking us around to everywhere. We went stargazing, geysers, sunset, all these hiking things.”

Each year, Westridge uses the week before Spring Break to provide a range of trips to Upper School students. These trips, based on experiential learning, include day trips around Los Angeles for freshmen and sophomores, National trips for juniors, and International trips for seniors. While this year’s Discovery Week wasn’t perfect for everyone, it provided an opportunity for most students to have new experiences and step outside their comfort zones. “I mean, there were a few hiccups here and there, but that’s just what happens when you travel with a group of 20 girls. I thought that [the administration] did a really good job,” Jordan concluded.