NATCHEZ — Two local schools are taking different approaches this month to expose their students to the world.

Cathedral School is taking a community approach in their annual freshman retreat.

“Their overall theme is them growing as a community of God,” religion teacher and faculty organizer Jean Benoit said.

To do that, Benoit said, students need to become more aware of their global community and can do so simply by learning more about the community around them.

“We get so involved in our little tiny, microcosm world, and we don’t always think beyond our own personal wants and needs,” Benoit said.

For the retreat, Benoit said students would listen to Amanda Jeansonne from Natchez Clay talk about hunger, and later create bowls for the Empty Bowls Project, a fundraiser for the Natchez Stewpot.

At Trinity, organizers are focusing on cultural horizons with a trip to Puerto Rico.

“More and more high schools are becoming concerned with expanding the cultural learning opportunities for their students,” trip organizer Linda Rodriguez said.

Next week, Rodriguez will take 12 eighth and ninth graders out of the country. Puerto Rico’s Spanish culture, mixed with the English language, is a good opportunity for students to start learning about global travel, Rodriguez said.

“It’s a true mix of Spain and the Americas and the people are so nice,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said travelling helps students focus, improve communication skills and maximizes cultural empathy.

Rodriguez hopes the trip will be the beginning of students’ experience with global travel.

“I love taking kids to places I’ve been to a thousand times and seeing the newness and magic in their eyes,” Rodriguez said.

In the same way, Benoit hopes the retreats will be eye openers for students in their community.

As high schoolers, Benoit said the students are in a position to start volunteering and, eventually, voting. It’s something Benoit hopes the retreat will encourage.

“We should be a little bit more aware of our actions and how they affect other people,” Benoit said.