Westford Academy’s Class of 2026 will travel to the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, from Tuesday, May 26 to Thursday, May 28, 2026 for their senior overnight trip.
After the senior Disney trip was canceled in 2019 due to COVID-19, WA has not held an end-of-year senior overnight trip. According to Class of 2026 advisor Melanie Jozokos, bringing back this tradition became an important goal early on. Senior Class President Kate Kelly explained that many existing travel opportunities at the school are either expensive or limited to specific clubs or classes, which makes it difficult for all students to participate.
“This has been in the works since the end of freshman year,” Kelly said. “We wanted to create something that could bring the whole class together and be accessible to everyone, no matter their circumstances.”
Over the past four years, the class cabinet worked to turn that goal into a reality. To gain approval, the officers created and presented a proposal to the school committee and superintendent, Dr. Christopher Chew. The proposal was approved after multiple attempts.
After several years without a traditional senior trip, the cabinet set out to create an experience that would give students the chance to spend meaningful time together before graduation. According to Kelly, the trip was planned with both structure and flexibility in mind, allowing students to choose how they want to spend their time.
The three-day, two-night trip will include a variety of structured events and optional activities, such as horseback riding, golfing, hiking, biking, tennis, zip-lining, and a visit to the North Conway Outlets. Students will also have the option to relax and spend time with friends at the resort.
“The variety of activities makes the trip sound really fun, and I like that we don’t have to participate in anything that doesn’t appeal to us,” senior Jacob Blacksburg said.
According to Jozokos, one of the main goals of the trip is to bring the senior class closer together. Since students missed earlier shared experiences, such as the Washington, D.C. trip, due to COVID-19, organizers of the trip wanted to provide an overnight trip for their entire class.
“I’m especially excited to bond with the whole class since we didn’t get to go on the Washington, D.C. trip,” Blacksburg said.
Another key focus in planning the trip was affordability and accessibility. Over the past four years, class officers have fundraised to help reduce costs and support students who might not otherwise be able to attend.
“We were able to provide a significant amount of financial assistance to students,” Jozokos said. “We also chose a location and transportation option that would keep costs lower, like traveling by bus instead of flying.”
Students are not required to pay for additional activities, as many free or low-cost options will be available at the resort.
As graduation approaches, the trip offers the Class of 2026 a final opportunity to come together, reflect on their time at Westford Academy, and create lasting memories before going their separate ways.
