The stately woman of jade stands silent, as her beacon of freedom glistens over the bay. Below her gaze, the city teems with throngs of people, jostling each other as they rush through the streets.

Welcome to New York City.

Students in the campus drama and journalism classes are raising money to fund a trip to New York City; they plan to attend workshops at Columbia University and the Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts on March 13-19.

“”This will be the fourth time I will take students to New York,”” Greg Stobbe, journalism adivisor, said. “”They will have the opportunity to learn from the editors of national publications like the New York Times and Washington Post. The drama students will spend time with Broadway actors. Plus, everyone will get to see the sights and take in a show or two.””

Students are trying to pay their fares in various ways.

“Luckily my parents are paying for most of my trip,” Lindsay Casner, ’08, said. “I think I would have a hard time selling candy bars to raise money.”

Unfortunately, some students have to work their way to New York.

“I am selling candy bars, working at jobs and saving birthday and Christmas money to help pay for New York,” Melissa Jimenez, ’05, said. “I am looking forward to the experience of taking the workshop at Columbia University.”

Other students are helping to pay voluntarily.

“I want to help out my parents,” Jennifer Schmidt, ’06, said. “The least I can do to raise money is sell some candy bars.”

Although the main reasons for the trip to New York are the journalism and drama workshops, students also plan on doing other things.

“I have never been to New York before,” Casner said. “I plan on shopping and seeing all of the sights.”

For more information regarding the New York trip, contact Stobbe through the high school office at 299-1695, ext.151. Stobbe has also posted the itinerary online in The Vault. Go to www.fresnochristian.com, highlight “”Classrooms”” and click on The Vault. The New York Itinerary is under the “”Language Arts”” category and listed as “”sto-NYC-itinerary.””