On January 5, 2026 STA students arrived back on campus after a nice, long winter break, filling the hallways with laughter and smiles once again. During the two week respite from academics, students got the chance to stop thinking about school for a second and relax. Although some students used the vacation days to catch up on their sleep, many students used the time to take part in fun and exciting travel and activities. Whether the time was spent staying in the comfort of home or exploring a new place, it was inevitably well spent.

During winter break some students stayed in their home state of Florida, rather than leaving to visit a new place. This meant taking part in activities that were most likely already familiar to them. This is exactly what STA freshman Josefina Bianchi did. Josefina explained “I stayed in Florida and my grandparents visited for the first time in seven years. We went to Key West with them and the beaches were beautiful.” Josefina Bianchi was happy to stay in the place she knows best and enjoyed her winter break!

Many students left the state of Florida to visit and tour one of the other 50 states, each providing a unique landscape and assortment of activities. From the beautiful beaches in California to the stunning mountains in Colorado, travelers have an expansive list of locations to choose from without having to leave the country! STA freshman Lily Simon described, “I flew up to Virginia. In Virginia my family and I went tubing, visited an indoor water park, and we all spent quality time together.” Lily’s favorite thing to do in Virginia was “when we went tubing.”

International travel is another option that many students had the opportunity to explore during their winter break. With nearly 200 countries to choose from, travelers with a valid passport could experience a myriad of adventures including different cultures, landscape, food, languages, and a lot more. STA freshman Louella Solorzano shared, “Over break I went to Iceland. My three favorite things that my family and I did was snowmobile, swim in the Blue Lagoon which is pretty famous, and ride Icelandic horses.” Louella’s favorite activity to partake in was “swimming in the Blue Lagoon” because it was beautiful and relaxing. Louella Solorzano got to try new experiences in Iceland, something that inevitably accompanies international travel.