Ms. Bacale, a chaperone with the Dublin Global Travel Program, told Dublin City Schools on Oct. 14 that the program plans an 11-day student trip to South Africa in mid-July, with stops in Johannesburg, Kruger National Park and Cape Town.

The trip is organized through EF Tours and is intended to include wildlife safaris, a brush walk in Kruger National Park, a visit to Table Mountain and Cape Point, historical tours including Nelson Mandela’s former prison site, and a stop at the Cradle of Humankind heritage site. "We will see cheetahs. We will see elephants. We will see zebras. We will see lions," Ms. Bacale said, describing the safari portion of the itinerary.

The program package, she said, runs about 11 days and includes both nature- and culture-focused activities: safaris and brush walks; city visits in Johannesburg and Cape Town; food and music experiences; and historical tours that touch on Nelson Mandela’s legacy. She also mentioned a planned visit to Cape Point to view nearby penguin colonies and a day trip to the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ms. Bacale described weather expectations for a July trip, noting that South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere and that July conditions are generally cool — daytime highs she described as "around the mid sixties, low seventies," which she said is good safari weather. She also highlighted food and cultural experiences: "Part of traveling and enjoying culture is trying new amazing foods," she said, and listed barbecue-style meats, beans and seafood as likely local dishes the group would try.

On scheduling, Ms. Bacale said the dates are flexible. She identified July 12 as the requested departure date and said scheduling is subject to EF Tours’ itinerary-building; she added the group could depart earlier or return later, and that final dates would be set closer to travel. She emphasized limited seating and high interest. "Spots are very limited. I've had a very high interest in this trip already," she said.

Two informational meetings are scheduled at Kerr Middle School, both at 6 p.m.: Oct. 28 and Nov. 12. Ms. Bacale said the same information will be presented at both meetings and provided a QR code and link for sign-up, and invited listeners to email her for pricing and lodging details.

There were no formal motions, votes, or decisions recorded during the presentation; Ms. Bacale’s remarks were informational and aimed at recruiting participants and sharing an itinerary overview.