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From snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef among Australia’s marine paradise, shopping in the lively streets of Seoul, strutting between the palm trees and star-lined sidewalks of Hollywood, and soaking up the sun and riding the waves of Hawaii, Discovery Week 2026 delivered.
Discovery Week is a required program where students travel on local, domestic, or international trips for valuable learning experiences beyond the classroom.
Students summed Discovery Week 2026 up in telling words: “better,” “exciting,” “unpredictable,” “experience,” “exploration,” and “adventure.”
While Discovery Week faced criticism in past years regarding trip costs, equity issues, and limited choices, this year nearly all juniors and seniors received their first choice trip. Students buzzed with excitement, and the Upper School team says that the improvements were intentional.
While upperclassmen traveled internationally and domestically to immerse in new cultures, there were still rich opportunities for underclassmen to explore culture, art, and history in local trips.
Westridge Discovery Week is considered an integral part of students’ learning and an educational opportunity. Dr. Melanie Arias, Director of Upper School, said, “Our goal for Discovery Week this year is to connect students with experiences that they were excited to engage in that were generated from real curiosity and expertise from faculty.”
Assistant Director of Upper School Ms. Kerri Epps, who plays a key role in planning Discovery Week, said, “We want students to be learning, and we want them to be having fun. We also want them to be in new situations that may feel a little uncomfortable, but that they are able to adapt and be resilient to. Part of being out in the world is having things be fun, new, and also sometimes uncomfortable,”
To ensure students have these immersive learning experiences out in the world, the Upper School Team focused on both variety and accessibility when designing the trips.
The school is constantly figuring ways to make the trips affordable, especially given that students were previously disappointed with the costs.“The school actually contributes a significant amount of money. So what students are paying is a portion, and the school is also paying a portion,” said Ms. Epps.
The Upper School Administration also focused on improving logistics, communication, and building better systems, which guaranteed that nearly all students got their first choice. “This year feels a lot smoother because we can take into account feedback from last year and continually make the process better. When you help with Discovery Week more than once, you don’t have that big learning curve,” said Ms. Kali Spicer, Administrative Assistant to the Upper School.
The improved logistics allowed the Upper School administration to focus on the trips themselves, tailoring them to meet a variety of student interests. Ms. Epps said, “This year was a strong year of trip proposals from our faculty, and it clearly resonated with the students, because they were excited, which is great. This is what we want.”
Students enjoyed their involvement in the planning process. Last spring, a survey describing possible trips for the next year was sent to the Class of 2026, following their junior domestic trips. They were asked to provide feedback on the trips they were interested in, helping the Upper School team narrow down the final selection and directly respond to student interest.
Their efforts quickly translated into student excitement all across campus. Many seniors were impressed by the trips available to juniors, which they see as a step up from their own year. Sydney E. ’26, who travelled to Australia, said, “I honestly really loved the choices… I was really excited… Especially the juniors, they have such good picks this year. I’m really jealous as well.”
Mady K. ’27 said, “This year, there’s definitely less complaints… There were more options.”
Whether hiking, sightseeing, record-shopping, or even seeing the border between South and North Korea, students deeply appreciated the wide range of trip options. “The Upper School did a very good job on focusing on a lot of different categories, like self-improvement, shopping, and the outdoors,” said Mady.
Lexi F. ’28, who was on “The Hero(ine)’s Journey & Archetype” trip, said, “I really liked learning how to read tarot. We got our own tarot decks, and we did readings on each other. I also really liked learning about the hero’s journey and archetypes.” On the Hero(ine)’s Journey and Archetype trip, students explored how storytelling helps us understand our challenging experiences by using archetypes and the Tarot as a creative tool.
Via K. ’28 attended the Hollywood Sights and Sounds trip, an opportunity for students to learn about and experience the musical and cultural history of late 20th-century Hollywood.
In anticipation of the trip, she said, “I’m really excited to learn about the musical history and the history of LA… I have to say that record shopping is not a bad thing either.”
Ammi O. ’28, who was on the Hiking Tour of LA County, said, “My favorite part was the third day, where we went to Altadena. It was a nice hiking place, and there was a river, and we were able to get wet.”
Other than these unique experiences, students were especially excited to spend time with friends and classmates. Caroline M. ’26 said, “You get to have the bonding experience with your class and talk to people that you wouldn’t normally talk to.”
This sense of connection was a shared experience, especially for seniors. Mason K. ’26, who was on the trip to South Korea, said, “I really enjoyed the K-pop dance class. I think it brought everyone together. There were issues arising from being in a large group trip, but I accepted that things might be slower or sometimes plans don’t work out.”
As intended, Discovery Week inspired many students to step out of their comfort zones. Kya R. ’29, who also went on the Hiking Tour of LA county, said, “My favorite part of Discovery Week was getting exercise…I’m really not a huge hiker. I thought it’d expand my horizons a bit, and it definitely did. I would probably do more things like that in the future.”
“I love nature, and I love going to new places, and Australia is a new place in nature,” Caroline M. ’26 said. The trip not only offered breathtaking scenery but also immersive learning about Australia’s ecosystems.
One of the leaders of the Australia trip, Mrs. Michelle Amos, who teaches Upper School Chemistry and Environmental Science was eager to share her country’s culture with students—from the busy, urban Sydney to the laid-back Queensland. She said, “There’s a big environmental focus, because we’re looking at distinct biomes. We’re going to beaches, mountains, rainforests, and coral reefs. Snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reefs is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, now that the reefs are slowly dying from climate change.”
Additionally, students were eager to dive into the unique culture of their various destinations. Vera M. ’27, who went to New Orleans, said, “My favorite part of my trip was the food, learning about New Orleans culture, and being involved in everything that New Orleans has to offer, whether it’s learning about Mardi Gras or the music and the jazz culture that the city has to offer.”
Students returned from their immersive experiences with a deepened understanding of different cultures. Ms. Epps said, “We want our students to be global citizens who understand how to visit other places, how to be respectful of other cultures, and how to connect with people from other places.”
Mary L. ’28 said, “This year’s Discovery Week trips felt more unique and student-curated than past Discovery Week trips. The quality has definitely improved.”
For Further Reading:
- “I Feel Like This Year Can’t Go Wrong.” Junior and Senior 2025 Discovery Week Trip Announcements Spark Excitement and Buzz Among Students
- My Discovery Week to New York: How the City that Never Sleeps Taught Me to Relax
- Discovery Week Resounding Success for Juniors and Seniors; Local Trips Leave Underclassmen Underwhelmed
- Opinion: Give All Discovery Week Trips A Chance
- It’s Discovery Week Season Again…and Students are Less Than Pleased with New Changes.
- Upper School Office Seeks to Resolve Discovery Week Equity Issues Despite Rising Costs
- Journeys Filled With Laughter and Learning: Students Bond While Exploring New Places Together During Discovery Week
- Opinion: Want Me to Pay $2500 for Discovery Week? At Least Give Me a Say.
