It was a summer to rememb

er when Melissa DaRosa and Victoria White went to Rio, Brazil to watch their favorite Olympians striving for the gold medal on July 25.

DaRosa and White spent two weeks visiting Rio, and watching the Olympics for three days.  They were looking forward to watching beach volleyball, women’s USA basketball, and Brazil’s women’s soccer.  During that time, they were able to meet an Olympian, Josh Samuels.

“We met a US Men’s water polo player, Josh Samuels, outside the arena just talking to his family,” said DaRosa.  Although they were not able to meet the Olympians they look up to, they got to take a picture with a known water polo player.

“I look up to Jordan Burghs, a wrestler, because of how much dedication he has for the sport,” said White.  To add to their experience with Olympians, DaRosa and White also spent their time exploring Rio and learning about its history.

“My most memorable moment was seeing the Christ statue and being able to physically experience watching the Olympics instead of watching it on the screen,” said DaRosa.  They were able to complete the full experience while visiting Rio by learning about its geographical features and historical places.

“I tried a lot of new things in Brazil, including the food, new sports, a different language, and a ton of tourist spots,” said DaRosa.  Melissa DeRosa got to try a lot of new drinks and foods, including a drink called Guarana, a soda only available in Brazil and four other countries.

While other Ripon High students spent their summer in Ripon, Victoria White and Melissa DeRosa enjoyed their summer exploring Rio and watching the Olympics.  “My most memorable moment I had was when we were able to explore Rio and see the history,” Victoria White concludes.