The circus troupe, from Denison College Kelso High, heads overseas every two years and this time visited Hawaii. 

They were joined by three Kelso High teachers and three volunteers. 

On their trip, they had the opportunity to stay with host families, perform and take part in unique educational experiences. 

Cirkus Surreal coordinator Stephanie Brown said it was a successful trip that left a lasting impact on the kids. 

“Every single one of them has come away from this tour so mature; they have just found themselves,” she said. 

The tour to Hawaii had a lot to do with the Rotary organisation. 

Cirkus Surreal stayed with Rotary members and their families, and performed for them, along with performing for the Volcano Circus on the big island. 

Ms Brown said Rotary rated their performance as an 11 out of 10. 

“I think a lot of the Rotary clubs over there hadn’t had much to do with Australian students before and they were blown away by their maturity and how respectful they were,” she said. 

While the ability to perform overseas for new people was an amazing experience on its own, the educational opportunities were some of the best elements of the trip.

The students visited a museum to learn about the impact of tsunamis, which was only enhanced by the chance to hear the first-hand account of someone who had experienced a tsunami.

They also learnt about Pearl Harbour and participated in a training exercise that asked them to work as a group to provide relief aid to survivors of a disaster. 

It may not have been planned on the itinerary, but students also saw a big storm and the way a different country manages it. 

“They’ve all come back and, interestingly, said things we didn’t expect that gave them food for thought,” Ms Brown said. 

“They’ve come back with some great experiences and I don’t think you can get that just from school.” 

She added that the students were great representatives of their school and the wider Bathurst community and will be even better leaders for their experience.