I recently worked with a teacher at an International School based in the Bahamas. Catherine Hindley organized a 6th and 7th grade trip to New York City. She teaches Humanities at Lucaya International School and course work includes the study of geography and history. Hindley decided to sponsor this class trip to widen students’ horizons about urban life in the United States.

Some Items on the Itinerary for a School Trip to NYC

Because of the Bahamas close proximity to Florida, Hindley’s students have been to the U.S., but "Many of our students have never experienced a big city before," she remarked. New York City is certainly the city to explore. "The Discovery of the Americas section of their history course was enhanced by their tour of the United Nations and also the Ellis Island tour, where we reenacted the processing of immigrants into the U.S." The school group learned about Broadway after a night out to see The Lion King. The group also had a chance to visit Chinatown that same day -- another fresh, new experience for many.

Learning Objectives for Student Travel to New York

When asked about her educational objectives for the trip, Hindley said that "Exposing students to what they have seen on television, but have never experienced," was one of the main objectives behind some destination choices. Sites visited included NBC Studios Tour, Radio City Music Hall, a Statue of Liberty cruise and shopping at Macy’s. Lucaya students gained insight into life in the States by sampling these American experiences and sites firsthand.

For some students, the best part of the tour was a visit to the United Nations. Hindley was particularly interested in exposing her students to the Millennium Development Goals exhibition, "This ties in very well with work we cover in class," said Hindley. The United Nations was one of the highlights of the tour for her and her students enjoyed the displays, too.

Class Spends a day at Six Flags NJ on Their Trip

For some students, the best part of the class trip was the day spent at Six Flags in New Jersey, a Great Adventure theme park. "You have to realize that some of these students had never been to a theme park, because we have nothing like that here in the Bahamas," said Hindley.

Hindley was impressed with the tour guide, Karen Goodman. "She was very knowledgeable and was also flexible when we made a few changes."

Security on School Trip a BIG Plus

Hindley was relieved to have security at the hotel. The security guard helped to separate her group of children from another rowdier group in close proximity. "Our security was enough to get them to calm down," she remarked.

There are many benefits to traveling with an educational travel company. ‘We are not that familiar with the city," said Hindley, "and all the details were taken care of. It was all very efficient and made for a totally stress free trip as far as we (the chaperones) were concerned."

Learn more about an educational travel trip to New York City. Tours can be focused on art, performance, history, social studies, eras in American history, and more. Visit http://www.educationaltravelconsultants.com or email info@educationaltravelconsultants.com to request a quote.