As our school year winds to a close, our community just returned from their final weXplore — an all-school journey to Italy’s eternal city of Rome. Over five activity-filled days, students embraced the spirit of “When in Rome” with openness, curiosity, and adaptability, exploring some of the city’s most iconic and historic landmarks, including the Pantheon and the Colosseum (which, fun fact, was built in just eight years!). By sheer coincidence, our community was also in Rome during a moment of great historical significance: the conclave and election of a new pope🕊️. This made our visits to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica especially memorable and certainly provided stories to share with family and friends back home. While some activities brought the entire community together, students also participated in module-specific learning experiences, which you can learn more about below. ⬇️ 🎨 With guidance from expert art historian and restorer Gioia Reali, students in the Shaping Renaissance module created fresco murals using wet plaster. A big thank you to @michelangelo4aday for hosting this inspiring hands-on workshop! 🚗 🧵 Driven by Design participants explored Rome’s vibrant Via Sannio Flea Market near the Aurelian Walls, uncovering vintage gems and unique fashion pieces for their upcoming catwalk. They then visited the Museo Boncompagni Ludovisi, where Italy’s legacy of decorative arts and 20th-century design sparked fresh inspiration for their creative work. 🎭 Meanwhile, students in the Behind the Curtains module traveled to the city of Acerra, near Naples, to visit the Pulcinella Museum. Another fun fact: Pulcinella is a clever, hunchbacked trickster from 16th-century commedia dell’arte, known for his half-mask, sharp wit, and irreverent humor. Born from the region’s theatrical tradition, he’s a classic figure who always finds a way to win. Now, back in Florence, students are focused on finalizing their projects ahead of the TGS Symposium, our celebratory end-of-year showcase, and, of course, the Class of 2025’s graduation ceremony (with plenty of dancing in store! 🎓💃). Ciao for now! 👋 🇮🇹 (fb)

⏪ A week in review at TGS, where no two weeks are the same... 📅 Week 1 of term: May 21-27 ✅ The Driven by Design module pays a visit to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello ✅ TGS climbs 414 steps to the top of Giotto’s Campanile (Bell Tower) for staggering views of Florence ✅ Shaping Renaissance module students paint with light and act like Murano glass ✅ The Behind the Curtains module begins their series of workshops with Commedia dell’Arte expert Roberto Andrioli ✅ TGS spends an orientation/module day in Venice (fb)