When the payment option for the 2022 WJPS senior trip to Villa Roma Resort in the Catskills was first released in mid-March, some seniors became concerned about how quickly the spots filled up. The trip was originally open to 40 people on a first-come, first served basis, so some students were disappointed to find out they missed their chance.

After witnessing the reluctance of students towards prom, as well as the high price of the trip and no strict deadline, seniors hadn’t expected the trip to fill up on the first day of payment. As a result of this, a waitlist was created.

It’s very unfair that most of the seniors missed out on paying, especially when there was barely any information on the trip beforehand. Some of the announcements were unexpected, leaving students scrambling to pay immediately and secure a spot.

WJPS physics teacher Mrs. Bonnani, who collected money for the trip, said, “A lot of students did not fill out the interest form, so we booked a trip for 40 students. Far more students showed interest than expected, so we called the place and worked out a new deal.”

This solution allowed 50 students to attend the trip, which combined with the waitlist gave a second chance to some seniors who may have initially missed the opportunity.

WJPS senior Isabella Torres, who was able to pay on time, said, “I was very surprised that it filled up as quickly as it did, and I was honestly very excited because part of planning senior events is seeing that people want to go. This filled up crazy fast as opposed to prom which was a struggle to get people to go. I think that kids just wanted to go on a trip because WJPS doesn’t typically do big trips like this.”