In recent years, the “gap year” has seen its popularity soar. In the year 2015 alone, this post-high school path increased in frequency by 22% according to The Atlantic. Of course, this popularity has extended to Blake, where three members of the class of 2019 will be taking gap years and several more are seriously considering it.

Two of these students, Asya Shogren ‘19 and Ashlyn Kehoe ‘19, will start their year after high school spending a few months in Europe to expand cultural and language skills.

They plan on seeing several countries, and during this time Kehoe hopes to become certified as an English teacher and bar tender. She says “I have always envisioned myself taking a gap year … it will give me time to take a break from doing work for required classes in school that I don’t necessarily enjoy, and instead spend a year doing/learning things that I genuinely enjoy.”

Upon becoming certified to teach English as a second language, Kehoe plans to head to either West Africa or East Asia to volunteer as a teacher. Shogren plans to study art and culinary skills while in Europe, and will return to the United States for an internship or classes to finish her program at the conclusion of the year.