Have you ever wanted to travel so badly but no one wanted to go with you? Have you ever wished to take a break and visit sites and adventure off? Have you ever wanted to go on a plane? Or best of all, have you ever wanted to travel with your friends? The Malden High School Tornado Travelers Club has the solution for you.
The Tornado Travelers is a club run by Chris Giordano and Shauna Campbell. Each year, the club travels to a new place over vacation.
This year, during February break, they went to Costa Rica, in 2026 they are going to the Dominican Republic.
The upcoming trip was chosen for many reasons with the main being “we wanted to pick a different part of the world that we are going to next year, not a European trip like London and Paris next year, we wanted somewhere warmer, and a time in February break for students who aren’t able to go during April next year. Also, the cost is more affordable for students, and we make sure that we can choose a trip that is easy for many students to choose from,” Giordano said.
He also mentioned “We wanted a warm destination because Europe is a little cooler, it’s affordable, something a bit more active, the trip next year is more based on walking around the city and going to museums, we wanted something more connected to moving and connecting nature. Doing things more actively is a great opportunity to learn and adventure more.” Campbell said “We wanted a location that was warm during February, had a variety of activities and different locations to explore” Overall it was chosen with the benefit of nice weather and an easy choice for all students to get around.
Over In the Dominican Republic, they plan on going on lots of adventurous activities. Giordano said they plan on exploring 4 different towns and cities to go on “white water rafting trips, visiting old footrests and structures on the islands, we’ll be participating in a jiu-jitsu class, spending a day at the beach potentially surfing, snorkeling, making some native pottery, eat barbeque, tasting a lot of local foods in general. That’s something the students really enjoy in the travel experience, getting to try new traditional foods, authentically. “
Isabel Jones is a student at Malden High School and is a part of this club. She recently went to Costa Rica and here’s what she had to say. “I enjoyed all the activities that we had the privilege of being able to do while in Costa Rica, and the huge range of activities that went from calm beach days to zip lining through canopies. We also had the great benefit of meeting people we wouldn’t usually choose to hang out with but had such a great time with them. The overall experience was amazing and I would tell anyone who has the opportunity to travel with the tornado travelers you definitely should. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I can’t wait for the London/Paris trip and to meet new people and see places I never have before.”
Many people tend to worry about prices. Giordano mentioned how to prepare yourself for these trips, you can always join the “Mayor’s summer program” to make a good chunk of money, or just begin to save up from now, so by the time the trip arrives you’ll be all set. He also said, “The sooner you sign up for the trip, the more affordable it is, and the more you take in helping the fundraisers, the cheaper it will be.”
Campbell says, “There are opportunities for supplemental scholarships and multiple ways to fundraise, save, and prepare financially”. So overall it’s a matter of responsibility and taking action as soon as possible.
Both advisors explain their excitement for this trip. “I’m excited, I’ve never been to the Dominican Republic, I know that there are a lot of students at Malden High School who came from the Dominican Republic and told me about their time there, and so I’m excited to go there and experience what they did before they came to Malden to also better understand them, I really enjoy experiencing and learning about new things overall.” “I’m really excited, and I’m looking forward to meeting a new batch of students, I mostly teach sophomores and there are sports for freshmen who are going to sign up and so I’m excited about these new experiences. I’m thrilled to escape the gray dark times of Massachusetts and go to the Dominican Republic and experience nice sunny days,“ added Giordano. Campbell is most excited about this trip because the last time she went she was only able to visit one place, so now it will be a trip to make up for her losses. If anyone is interested both advisors suggest you either visit their websites Tornadotrvelers@weebly.com or their page on Instagram @Tornadotravelers. Giordano said that anyone could also stop by Campbell’s classroom at B442
Their page has all the information you need. Its better you keep up so you don’t miss any updates. “-Follow it, @tornadotravelers, we’ll be announcing more meetings about this future trip, and posting photos from previous trips so you can see what its like, as the Paris and London trip gets closer, what students do to prepare and what the students experience. Its definitely a great way to learn how to not take advantage of these great opportunities. We will be having some fundraisers later this year, so the following will keep you updated on these events as well,” said Giordano.
They also talk about next year’s Paris/London trip so anyone who’s also interested can check it out.
These trips are a lifetime experience that are never forgotten. People tend to come back. ”If people travel as a freshman, sophomore or junior they often tend to go again before they graduate. We have had at least 5 repeat travelers each trip.” Cambell mentioned. And even. Giordano said “-People do come back, we had two sophomores in our trip this year, and they came to the meeting we had previously getting ready to travel again as a senior, people are usually hesitant at first, but the time you spend on that trip, you really get to know what happens and make new friends, and if they aren’t traveling I can infer they’d likely come back for another. But yes we have many regulars.”
Thalia Louigene is a junior in Malden High School and went on the Puerto Rio trip as well. “ I went to Puerto Rico last year. And it was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had. The teachers that came with us (Campbell, Giordano, and Jones) were so kind and so patient with our group. We had a fun activity to do every single day and our tour guide was so nice and funny. Puerto Rico is so beautiful, and there are so many historical sites to go to. After the trip, the kids we went on it with, as well as the teachers, we all became so much closer and formed deeper relationships to this day. Campbell is my literal favorite.”
Everyone who goes on these trips usually has a blast and makes unforgettable memories.
This is seriously a hidden gem in Malden High School and is an opportunity anyone can experience. From adventures, to food, to friends, these trips are unlike ones you go on by yourself, or even with family. I recommend everyone to check out their page at least once and see where that can bring you.
