This past February, the Lynbrook Art department set out on a trip to the happiest place on earth. After much deliberation, the trip finally became a reality due to the efforts of art teachers Tom Sena, Michael Kunz, Vincent Lentini, Karen Goulet and Jennifer Turner. The trip lasted four days and three nights and was offered to sophomores, juniors, and seniors enrolled in any art class. Since September, students anticipated going to Disney. It was an exciting time for many, with this trip being the first time traveling with their friends.

It started with everyone meeting in LHS at two in the morning! We were then bussed to the airport to catch our 6am flight. Once we arrived, we went directly to Magic Kingdom and stayed there for the entire day. The weather was warm and sunny, a nice break from the winter we left behind. After going on many rides and enjoying the various food stands(perhaps not the best combination) the students and teachers retired to Disney’s Pop Century Resort.

The next day started off with breakfast at Animal Kingdom Park. After breakfast, the park opened the Expedition Everest roller coaster, where many people rode up to three times! This was then followed by a workshop in Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, where students participated in a figure drawing class and were instructed by an actual Disney animator. After doing some work, we got to spend the rest of the day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios park. The next day, we started off with an animation workshop. We learned about the various jobs in the animation field as well as how animated clips are made. Students and teachers learned to paint cells, the key component to an animation. The rest of the day was spent roaming Epcot and attending various workshops, which included drawing as well as photography.

Overall, the trip was a positive learning experience as well as a fun time for all that attended. LHS Senior and Treasurer of the National Art Honor Society, Angie Chirchella shared, “I really enjoyed the trip. I thought the people who ran the workshops were helpful since they had a lot of experience in their fields. My favorite workshop was the animator, Todd Bright, who showed us how to sketch characters.” She stressed what a great opportunity the trip was for students, sharing, “I believe we are lucky to have this experience!” LHS art teacher Tom Sena also shared his satisfaction with the trip, “I thought Disney was a fantastic experience for our students, and I was proud of the way they showed Disney what Lynbrook art is all about. Overall, this trip exceeded my already high expectations.” Many others mirrored Mr. Sena’s enthusiasm. Another art teacher, Michael Kunz shared his short yet sincere opinion of the trip, “it was the finest finest.”

As all good things must come to an end, after 4 wonderfully spent days we departed back to New York. We came back with newly acquired knowledge on animation and sketching. The memories we made with our friends and teachers in Disney will last a lifetime!