Student travel is a huge topic for teachers and while we don’t pretend we can fit all the deets into one brief blog post, we do hope to illuminate a basic framework for planning that can benefit all teachers.

Whether you’re a newbie, a seasoned educator, student travel requires a steady hand and this post seeks to steady the hand on the controls.

A teacher’s guide to student travel may not be comprehensive, but it’s succinct and helps you plot a course in the right direction.

Finding the Right Destination

Walking into your classroom and announcing the destination you’ve chosen isn’t going to be popular with most of your students.  Rather, choose 3 destinations and then treat your students to a brief tour of each and its attractions.

This gives your students the opportunity to chime in and to dream along with you.  Encourage group discussion on this item.  You may even want to hold a simple essay contest, inviting students to reveal their favorite of the 3 destinations in 500 words or less!

Finding the right destination involves student buy-in, which generates enthusiasm and excitement.

Budget Matters

Once you’ve got your destination nailed, you’ll need to turn to the budget.  This must prepared before you even think about reaching out to administrators for approval.  They’ll need to know the bottom line.

Remember that the biggest line items in your budget are going to be transportation and accommodation.  Sewing these up first lets you see how much “play” there is for other items like site tickets and special outings.

Give Your Trip a “Shape”

Your trip needs to have a curricular objective to get it past those administrators we just mentioned.  But its shape can be determined to mesh with that and even, expand on it.

Depending on the class you’re taking, you’ll want to highlight an aspect of the curriculum that matches the interests of your students and is perhaps, a little off the beaten path.

Adding a little mystery that serves to illuminate what you’re teaching in new ways is a gift to your students.  You’re teaching them to move beyond the obvious and to personalize their learning with insight.

Itinerary, then Approval

Once you’ve got the previous 3 items in hand, you’ll need to write up an itinerary that’s faithful to curricular goals, but which highlights the effectiveness of the chosen destination for imparting the knowledge you need students to absorb.

Go well prepared, taking with you all the information you’ll be asked for about your tour provider, chaperones, guidelines for behavior and other necessary supports.

Remember that administrators are charged with ensuring that the goals of your educational district are satisfied in all you do.  Make their job easier by giving them all the information they’ll need to grant you the approval you’re seeking.

Junior Tours

Junior Tours has been making education exciting with student travel since 1967.  Founded by a teacher, we support educator goals with experiential travel that makes learning fun.

Ready to take your classroom into the world?  Contact us!

With a nickname like “The City Beautiful”, Orlando has a lot to live up to.  And that’s why it’s the hottest spot for high school senior trips.  Orlando is a breathtakingly beautiful point on the US map and one which doesn’t disappoint when it comes to adventures, unique experiences and discovery.

Your high school pupils have worked hard to get where they are now.  They’ve done their homework.  They’ve excelled.  Now they’re ready to join the real world of careers and achievement.  What better way to celebrate than taking them to the hottest spot for high school senior trips:  Orlando.

Theme Parks for Days

When it’s time to celebrate, there’s nothing more exciting than a visit to one of Orlando’s many theme parks.

Both the Disney and Universal Studios have major franchises here, broken down into areas of interest to ensure that every student coming along gets their most cherished theme park experience checked off the list.

From EPCOT’s Geosphere to The Magic Kingdom’s thrilling rides, Disney takes you wherever you want to go, offering theme park experiences that run the gamut from Hollywood to wildlife and water.

Universal Studios rises to the adventure challenge with a journey through the world of film and television and some of the most incredible rides ever conceived.  Enjoy a singular experience with the Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando Resort and celebrate the union of technology, art and music with these internationally acclaimed performers.

Under the Spotlights

Your performing arts students are treated to exceptional opportunities to perform here, with audiences who come from all over the world.

Across the selection of theme parks hosted by Disney, you’ll find manifestations of their renowned Disney Performing Arts OnStage program.  See your students shine, showing off their hard-earned chops in choirs, orchestras, marching bands and even dance performances.

All this and the chance to shine even more brightly by taking advantage of the selection of professionally-led workshops on offer.

And once they’ve learned something new, they can amaze themselves by competing against other student groups at Festival Disney.

Wet, Wild and Spacey

Take your high school seniors to where the going gets wet at the Wet n’ Wild theme park, which replicates ocean waves they can even surf on.  But if that doesn’t float their boat, your scientifically minded charges might find what they’re looking for at the famed Kennedy Space Center.

Students will learn the true story of how the USA forged new frontiers in the cosmos, launching astronauts into the mysteries of space.  They’ll see how satellites have changed the way we live and leave with a sense of pride in our nation’s answering the challenges of the universe.

Junior Tours

For over 50 years, Junior Tours has been treating students to unique educational experiences.  We bring destination knowledge and superior vendor selection to your high school senior trips, coupling educational opportunities with the thrill of adventure and the joy of discovery.

Ready to share Orlando with your students?  Contact us for a free sample itinerary and quote.

Junior Tours was founded in 1967 as a student travel resource.  We’re focused on teachers and the success of their students.

Fundraising is a big deal when it comes to creating opportunities for all students to enjoy student trips, regardless of economic circumstances.  But it’s a tough row to hoe when you’re not sure which way to turn to raise money.

Successful fundraising is a kind of an art form.  Convincing people of the value of what you’re raising money to support (in this case, student travel) is about communication, preparation and making all the right moves.

This post shares our 5 keys to fundraising success.  Follow them and watch that trip fund overflow!

1. Know What You Need

You can’t fundraise effectively without having drawn up a detailed budget.  Budgeting is one of the first steps toward organizing a student trip for this reason.  Important to note, also, is that it’s one of the mechanisms that wins you administrative approval.

Be sure to include items beyond transportation and lodging.  While those are your big-ticket items, you’re also going to need to feed your kids and pay for entrance to educational attractions that support your curricular goals.

2. Create Urgency

Setting clear goals to meet by certain dates is a great way to light a fire under your fundraisers (students and parents alike).

Draw up a thermometer to start your fundraising drive.  As you hit landmark goals, mark them on the thermometer, so everyone can see how well you’re doing.  Talk about the thermometer and how it’s going to take everyone’s best efforts to reach your financial goals.

Create urgency and watch the money flow in.

3. Fundraising Chair

We know that teachers are almost superhuman, but we also know that you need support.  In the case of effective fundraising, you’ll need someone to take charge of this aspect of the trip.

Choose an engaged parent with a reputation for getting things done.  It’s been proven repeatedly that putting a parent at the helm of fundraising gets results and a better response.

4. Get Together

Once a month, get your fundraisers together to talk about progress and kick around ideas.  This is a habit which builds communal accountability and provides the opportunity to share successes and fresh input.

At the same time, update your fundraisers about the status of the trip.  Let them know you’ve booked accommodation and share with them the attractions you’ve confirmed them for at their destination.  Building excitement raises funds!

5. Get Personal

Parents and students raising money need your encouragement, so make a point of meeting with individual members of your fundraising group to talk about how things are going.  Hearing concerns and sharing ideas reminds your fundraisers that they’re not working in a vacuum.

The leadership you provide your fundraisers plant the seeds of success and a well-financed student trip!

Junior Tours

For more than 50 years, Junior Tours has been supporting educators with superlative student tour planning and coordination.

Let the adventure begin!  Contact us for a free sample itinerary and quote.

Because Junior Tours was founded by a teacher who wanted to create a student tour resource that made educators’ jobs a little easier, we know about chaperones.  We know who they tend to be and the assumptions made about what they’re there to do (from both teachers and chaperones).

This blog is about sharing some knowledge about chaperoning to ensure that you’re making parents glad they volunteered.  It’s too often the case that parents and teachers allow their assumptions about the roles in play guide their on-tour actions.

The problem with assumptions is that they’re rarely accurate.  Let’s look at some ways to make chaperoning more fun and less stressful.

The Most Obvious Person Isn’t Always the Right Person

Most teachers in today’s classroom work with special needs kids.  These students need a little extra support.  But it’s not always the case that the chaperone who’s the parent of a special needs child should be put in charge of this cohort of your students.

Keep in mind that “special needs mom” has needs of her own.  Automatically charging her with managing all your tour members who need extra support is not going to make her want to volunteer again.

Do the Groundwork

You know you need behavioral guidelines while you’re out touring.  That much is clear.  But being diligent about ensuring your students understand and internalize them is a process.  A handout with bullet points is soon forgotten.

Preparing your students to follow the guidelines you’ve set out is the kind of groundwork your parent chaperones are going to love you for.  Kids who respond to directions are going to be lot less work for them and lot less stressful to shepherd.

Try an interactive approach to the guidelines.  Bring them up frequently in class and ask students to respond to questions about what’s required of them while you’re on your trip.  Leave no room for doubt that the behavioral guidelines you’ve set out are to be followed to the letter.

Fresh Horses

All schools have their tried and true parent volunteers.  They’re the ones who show up for every fundraiser, school concert and PTA meeting.

But if you’re serious about student travel and ensuring that you have the right people in place to support your vision with quality chaperoning, then you’ll need to be in perpetual recruitment mode.

Your default is “charming”, so your approach isn’t the issue.  The issue is that parents get burned out.  Bringing new members to your chaperoning team is all about happy, experienced chaperones sharing with others how great volunteering on your trips is.

And that comes down to savvy chaperone management.  Basic chaperoning – making parents glad they volunteered – starts with what you do to understand the roles of the chaperones at your disposal.

Being there for chaperones by preparing your students adequately is a great start.  But ensuring that your chaperones aren’t overwhelmed, exhausted from out-of-control student behavior, or just done with volunteering, is smart teaching.

Junior Tours has been creating quality student travel experiences for over 50 years.  Contact us.

If you’re planning a fashion tour, your students will really enjoy New York City. NYC is a must for all the fashion freaks!

Among all the places, you should see the ones we are mentioning here. Get immersed in the magnificent world of fashion.

Garment Center Shops

The Garment Center is the focal point of New York fashion industry. Here in these few blocks, there is a variety of shops and stores.

It is the home to thousands of fashion businesses. Seeing so many different textiles and accessories can appear to be too much, but no – you will definitely find what fits you!

This is the place where you can see the famous designers at work, such as Calvin Klein… How about that?

Parsons School of Design

This is very famous private art and design college, the top one in the United States, founded in 1896. It’s offering students innovative ways of education to unleash their creativity and prepare them for the future.

It offers both undergraduate and graduate courses in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, curatorial studies, textiles, urban ecologies, and more. It’s known for its alumni — famous fashion designers and artists.

Who knows, maybe you will enroll in this fascinating university?

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)

This is a public college in Manhattan, focused mostly on art and design.

FIT has a museum which is one of the rare ones specialized in fashion. Its permanent collection is around 50,000 fashion pieces dating back to 18th century.

It has the collection of textiles, clothes and accessories.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The popular “Met” is the third most visited museum in the world, and the biggest one in the United States. It has more than  7 million visitors per year.

Its permanent collection has more than two million art-pieces, consisting of the works from antiquity through modern art. It was opened in 1870 with the thought of bringing art to American people.

Lower East Side Tenement Museum

This historic national landmark gives a peek into the lives of immigrants who lived at 97 & 103 Orchard Street decades ago (even back to 1860s).  It also offers tours with actors who portray residents and their customs. Get to know more about American history!

For more info about student tours to NYC, contact Junior Tours.

Ready to go for an adventure with your students? Two of your favorite destinations should definitely be Boston and Chicago!

Some sights are a must-see. Don’t miss them out! Why not join Junior Tours?

Boston

Boston has lots of historical sights and live performances. No wonder that it gets over 16 million visitors per year! This capital of Massachusetts is one of  the most influential cities in the United States.

The nickname of the city is “The Hub of the Universe.” Why is that so, you will be able to experience firsthand.

See Boston’s best such as the North End and Beacon Hill.

Among many things, you would surely want to see the oldest public park – Boston Common. This park has a lot of history behind it.

Faneuil Hall (the home of the free speech) and Bunker Hill Monument are the next ones to visit.

There is also a lot of museums among which are Museum of Fine Arts and Old South Meeting House Museum. That’s just a little bit of this extraordinary city.

We suggest you visit Boston from the end of May through the end of September, because the weather is at that time perfect!

Chicago

As the third largest city in the United States, Chicago has lots to offer. The city is very vibrant and has a soul.

Visit Magnificent Mile (one of the most popular shopping areas) and Financial Center. See Lake Michigan, one of five Great Lakes of North America. Get overwhelmed with Shedd Aquarium (among the top ones for over three decades) and Abbott Oceanarium.

Downtown Chicago has wide sidewalks, many cultural attractions and architectural riches. Visit the Loop, the second largest business district in the States.

See a range of museums: Field Museum of Natural History, Terra Museum of American Art, Museum of Contemporary Art…

Visit some amazing parks like Grant Park, Lincoln Park (including the oldest Zoo in the country), and Millenium Park.

Chicago has a lot of ethnic diversity, so when you visit some parts of the city, it seems you are in another country!

Junior Tours

Both cities are astounding, offering many other wonderful things above the ones mentioned. Your life will be enriched by visiting them, and you will be inspired!

It is important to choose the right trip-provider. Junior Tours will fulfill its duty and make your experience even more interesting!

For more info, call us at 1-800-631-2241 or complete an online form to get a free quote.

Whether it will be your first time, or you already have the experience; whether you will give a part of your day or the whole day to spend time with a group — being a chaperone is an amazing experience!

At some point you will think to yourself: “How can they be sooo loud?” or “Oh, I don’t like kids!” But, at the end of the day, although exhausted, you will be thankful for such an opportunity.

So, here are some tips for your chaperone adventure:

Dress for action

Since you will be chasing the children in different places, make sure you have good shoes. Clothes should be light, but the jacket waterproof. Don’t forget the sunglasses and the hat!

Have enough water and snacks at hand

Make sure you are always well hydrated and grab the opportunities to have some snack, otherwise you will be exhausted very soon. The children will notice when you are down and out of energy. Yes, they are so smart!

Limit the use of your phone

Although for some chaperones there is work to do even when they are on a field trip, because of the safety of the ones you are accompanying, we kindly recommend that you stay off your phone!

Be careful with the photos

It’s great to take photos of the children when on a trip, just make sure the parents are okay with your posting of their children on Social Media.

Instead of that, a great idea would be to make a photo book and give it as a gift to all those in a group!

Count!

Because of the safety, you should be careful to count the children when they leave or rejoin the group for some reason (getting off the bus, going to the bathroom).

Many counting will be necessary, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Exhaust them

If you should enter the museum with seven-year-olds, make sure they have had some brisky activity before that, like climbing the hill. If they are out of breath, they don’t have the energy to behave badly.

You will be grateful to us for giving you these tips!

For more useful information and the tours we are offering, contact Junior Tours!

You want your students to get the knowledge and gain a personal experience of the business world?

In that case, New York is the place to go!

New York offers business & economics students an extraordinary experience of a city in the very center of the global economy. You will inspire your students, and the atmosphere of this city will stay with them for their entire lives.

Visit places that will educate your students such as Federal Reserve Bank where our guide will tell them all about banking functions.

Here the world’s two biggest stock exchanges take place: New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.

Wall Street

Wall Street is the world’s largest stock market and the main financial center in the United States. It’s a popular, long eight-block street that your students must see.

Because of the Wall Street, NYC became the most powerful city in the world economically speaking.

Your students will enjoy exploring this business world!

NYSE

NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) is very old, dates back to 1792. This is an auction market. Those who buy and those who sell do this physically by comparing bid prices and ask prices.

Market capitalization is more than 21.3 trillion.

It has blue chip firms involved with stable stocks, such as Exxon Mobil Corp and Walmart. There is 2,400 companies involved.

NASDAQ

NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) is the second largest stock market. Location of the market is One Liberty Plaza at Broadway. It is owned by Nasdaq Inc., and came into existence 1971.

Market capitalization (market cap) is 11 trillion dollars.

It is known as a high-tech market, having many firms involved with internet and electronics, such as Google, Facebook, Apple… There are more than 3,800 companies that are trading.

Nasdaq is a dealer’s market which means that those who participate don’t buy and sell by themselves, but through a dealer. It happens electronically.

All of it you will learn at your school trip!

Also, you will learn how to understand the nature of Business, how to make decisions relevant to marketing, about international trade, and much more.

Of course, beside the economic side of NYC, don’t forget to visit The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building and Central Park!

Contact Junior Tours! We will make sure your students have an amazing experience of this great city!

To be an art student visiting New York is an exciting thing. We chose five amazing places for you to visit while you are in this vibrant city, and make sure you visit them all for the best experience!

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

If you want to see most unique and inspiring art, this is the place to be. Situated in Manhattan, this museum is a collection of modern and contemporary art composed of drawing, painting, photography, film, electronic media…

MoMa has a reputation of displaying world’s best art pieces back from the 18th century through today.

Among many of amazing exhibits was a structure by the name “Wendy.”  It was huge, blue, had a spike-like appearance and was air-filtering (fought the pollution of about 250 cars).

Os Gemeos x Futura

These two twin brothers are famous for their gigantic character pieces put up all over the landscape. For instance, there was an 80 ft art of a child painted on the building on 21st Street.

You want to see that for sure!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

“The Met” is the biggest museum in The United States. With around 7 million visitors per year, it’s the third most visited museum in the world. It was founded in 1870 with the purpose of educating American people about the art.

With the variety of art-pieces passing the walls of this museum constantly, this is the place you do not want to miss out! Just about any famous artist had their piece of art in this museum!

Whitney Museum of American Art

Located in Manhattan, this museum offers variety of contemporary art. It features great exhibitions of 20th & 21st century American art.

The founder of the museum, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney was herself a sculptor and a collector of art pieces.

This permanent exhibition comprises of more than 20 thousand different art groups, including paintings, photographs, videos, and more.

The Frick Collection

Also situated in Manhattan, the Frick is among the famous small museums in the U.S. It has a collection of old master paintings, sculptures, and fine furniture.

It’s featuring some of the best European artists such as Giovanni Bellini, El Greco, Francisco Goya…

The Frick has yearly attendance reaching up to 300,000, which is a great number for its size.

For a wonderful experience with your art students, contact Junior Tours!

Historic Williamsburg holds in its cobblestoned streets America’s story.  This is one of 3 cities that comprise America’s Historic Triangle, with nearby Jamestown and Yorktown completing the triangle.

Students will experience the life of American settlers of the 17^th and 18^th Centuries and find themselves exploring the first English settlement in the Americas.  The Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestown provide them with a direct encounter with this crucial element of the nation’s history.

Students find history and fun in Williamsburg around every corner.  Let’s explore!

In the heart of history

Williamsburg’s historical legacy is so rich, you won’t know where to start.  That’s where Junior Tours come in.  We select from the plethora of historical sites on offer to tailor your tour to educator and curricular needs, creating the ideal itinerary for your group.

Junior selects the most relevant tours for your group from the wide variety on offer in the storied Triangle.  Be dazzled by the historical knowledge of costumed guides who provide detailed commentary, every step of the way.

Traipse through the annals of Early American history along the 5-mile long Jamestowne Island Trail or discover the ancient life of the area at Historic Jamestowne itself in the archaeological finds on display there.

The Jamestown Settlement will thrill students with faithful replicas of the 3 ships that brought early settlers here in 1607.  At the Powhatan Village, students will encounter the life of regional First Peoples at this reconstructed site.

Historic Yorktown

The nation’s first President, George Washington, wasn’t just the USA’s first leader.  He was a General, too, leading his troops into battle against General Cornwallis.  His victory is the genesis of our independence from British rule.

Yorktown Battlefield is today a site you can’t miss when visiting Williamsburg.  General Washington’s headquarters are here, as well as the Yorktown Victory Center, which guides students through revolutionary times.

A visit here should also include a visit to the reconstruction of a farm from the 1780s, so students can appreciate the backbreaking work that went into establishing a settlement.  They’ll learn about agricultural practices which included food preservation for the harsh winter months and the production of fabric from wool to make clothing.

And some fun, too!

With their minds soaked in American history, students can cut loose with a visit to Busch Gardens Williamsburg.  Here’s they’ll enjoy hair-raising amusement park rides and great entertainment in a European-inspired setting.

But wait, there’s more!  Water Country USA is another nearby attraction and the largest waterpark in the mid-Atlantic region.

The perfect itinerary with Junior Tours

Williamsburg’s dizzying array of historical sites demands the support of a longstanding student travel resource.  Junior Tours brings you more than 50 years of creating superior educational experiences that thrill students and support educator vision.

We take you there with keen destination and vendor knowledge, but we don’t stop at the itinerary.  We send you with one of our expert guides, providing 24-hour support and security.

Go with Junior and get the most from your Williamsburg visit. Contact us to get started.