Teen Trips that Make Us Long for High School
January 29, 2008
3 min readThere’s not very much that can make us want to go back in time and re-do high school. But when we heard about a set of trips being offered by National Geographic Expeditions, we seriously considered retaking calculus for a chance to come along.
Expeditions has partnered with Putney Student Travel to create a new series of travel programs geared for high school students. Better to get the travel bug early, after all. Then you’ll have more time to see everything. And with a great list of destinations, including Belize, the Caribbean, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galápagos, India, Iceland, Ireland, Mali, Peru, Spain and Tanzania, there’s certainly plenty to see.
Student Expeditions will pair National Geographic’s expert writers, photographers, scientists, and explorers with students for three-week “On Assignment” trips that will focus on a whole bevy of fantastic offerings: writing, photography, documentary filmmaking, culture and arts, Spanish language, archaeology and ancient culture, climate and geology, wildlife and conservation, music and dance, and spiritual traditions. As part of the trip, students complete projects like writing a short story, shooting a portfolio of photographs, editing a documentary film or presenting findings from an archaeological dig. Even better, students get the opportunity to give back to the places they visit.
“In crafting these expeditions, our aim has been to build in opportunities for adventure, cultural immersion and community service throughout the trip,” said Lynn Cutter, National Geographic’s senior vice president for Travel and Business Development. On many trips, students can participate in such service projects as helping to build a house, clearing forest trails or tutoring students in English. At the end of the trip, students will receive a community service certificate which can be applied towards their schools’ community service requirements.
Students in the 9th through 12th grades are eligible to participate in the trips, and must submit an application with a 150-300 word statement to apply. Get more information and apply online here.
Photo: Putney Student Travel
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