Discover D.C. trip planned for local eighth-graders
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Eighth-graders at Presque Isle Middle School will have the opportunity to see such sites as the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and much more as a spring break trip to Washington, D.C. is being planned.
Bill Guerrette, program leader and English/social studies teacher at the school, is organizing the 2012 Discover D.C. trip through WorldStrides, a student travel organization with nearly 45 years of experience.
“The business was started by a social studies teacher,” said Guerrette. “Their main focus is taking eighth-graders to Washington, D.C. Over the years they’ve branched off and taken other trips, but their bread and butter is D.C.”
The motor coach excursion is scheduled for April 16-20 and cost $999 per student. Transportation services have gone out to bid, and Guerrette has yet to hear which provider has been awarded the contract.
“When I taught fifth grade at Zippel Elementary School, I took my class of fifth-graders to Boston. When I came to the middle school — logistically — it was so much harder to plan a big trip,” he said, noting that the trip is not sponsored by SAD 1. “Instead of having 25 students, I went to having 100. But I still wanted to give kids that experiential education where we can talk about it in class, but then we go see it.
“My nephew recently went on a similar trip and that got me thinking about it again, and then one day I got a call from WorldStrides, did some research on them, and ended up putting this together,” said Guerrette.
Among the highlights planned include a visit to Gettysburg, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, a performance of the Broadway show “1776” at Ford’s Theatre, and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery.
“The itinerary is still very much in a draft form, but there are some things that we are going to do,” Guerrette said. “I’m going to come up with a list of 10 places and give the kids some websites so they can go and check things out. Then I’ll rank them from 1 to 10 as to the places they want to see and then we’ll fill out parts of our trip based on their suggestions.”
Guerrette said while the $999 is all-inclusive, the students will be raising some money.
“The Broadway show is a little bit extra, so as a group, we’ll be doing some fundraising,” he said. “Every day I want the kids to have the same color T-shirt on … it’s easier to find our group among the crowds, so that will be something we’ll buy with the money we raise.”
WorldStrides provides one free chaperone for every 15 students. Guerrette said, however, he wants to have more adults attending.
“Including myself, we’ll probably have five chaperones,” he said. “One thing that WorldStrides does to help out is have chaperones monitoring the hallways at night at the hotel we’ll be staying at so kids can’t run around, plus it gives our chaperones a chance to sleep. They also have a doctor on-call service with George Washington Hospital where the doctor will come to the hotel room if there’s a need. They really go above and beyond. It’s a great organization.”
Guerrette encourages parents to consider sending their eighth-grader on the trip.
“It’s one thing to talk about something in the classroom, but it’s another to actually go and see it firsthand. Last year, the seventh-graders did a big unit on the Holocaust and now to be able to go to the Holocaust Museum. It takes that classroom education to a whole new level and appreciation,” he said. “In eighth grade, we talk about the three branches of government. Now we will be at the Capitol building. It makes the learning that much more real … let alone the social experience that the kids will have by traveling with their peers.”
For more information on the trip, call Guerrette at 551-8068 after 5 p.m. or e-mail soxfan@mfx.net before Oct. 31.