While most spent their February break skiing, playing in the ocean, or just relaxing in Wayland, business teacher James Page, social studies teacher Erin Lehmann, and their group of 14 business students explored Iceland. The group boarded the plane on the Thursday before February vacation and landed in Keflavik National Airport later that day.

Iceland might not seem like a vacation hot spot to some, but Page had three reasons for picking it. First, he said that it fit in with the current business curriculum. Second, he said that the theme of the trip was to see how Icelandic companies utilize the geothermal energy. Lastly, he said that he wanted to look at how Iceland’s economy has collapsed since 2008.

“[I was] trying to find something different that we hadn’t done before here at the high school,” said Page.

From exploring energy plants to trekking along glaciers, the business students spent the week doing activities that not many high school students can say they have done before, lead by a geology and economics specialist.

“My favorite thing I did in Iceland was hike up a cliff by the sea with some of the others on the southern most point of Iceland, in Vik,” said senior Trevor Dixson. “It was raining, we could see the ocean, and there was a small graveyard nearby. The whole experience was amazing.”

Page’s business trips started with exploring Belgium, but as the curriculum switched Page changed the trip to Mexico where students looked at fair trade through coffee. Because of an unfortunate salmonella run-in after last year’s trip, Page decided that “Mexico was no more,” and chose Iceland.

Students who have taken or plan on taking a business course at Wayland High School by next year are eligible to sign up for the trips this spring.

“I think [the trips] are the best of both worlds,” said Page. “You get to combine class curriculum with real world experience.”