I am pizzed the schools put us in these situations. The trip isn't even a "school" activity, it's a private ran company that employees a few teachers for chapporones.
I get it's a great experience, blah, blah but I can take us there and stay a week for a little more than that..
How important is this? Would you pay 2400.00, probably be 3k when all said and done.

My daughter just came back (Easter Sunday @ National Cathedral), she was chosen to lay the wreath at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. Look at all of the stuff they see, it is really amazing. They run the kids ragged (on purpose Im sure). They see so many things but don't get to spend too much time at each place. Kinda cool though, now when they learn about certain monuments / places they can have the advantage of having been there. WAY worth it in my book.
She is the one on the right, very proud of her, if you don't know the story of the Tomb look it up, pretty amazing how dedicated the guards are.

Thats a lot of coin, but these places usually get special hook ups for the kids that you normally cannot get.
My kid went to the state capitol with a group last year.. After hearing all about it, I know just going up there with the family wouldnt have even been close to the educational experience she got.

Tough choice..

That's great to hear Rap...
I do gotta say, this is a bad economy for this kinda chit.. She's lucky we can even afford it, I'm just not sold on it yet..
They will be going to Boston and DC.

P.S.
Gotta pay 209 bucks just to be able to get our money back if the school, teachers, or company cancel the trip, plus rates go up if we don't put money down within 2 weeks of their notice.. The pressure sell is making most upset I think..

Ya they push for commitments but they kept extending ther deadline for us. Our cost actually went down after we paid for the trip, they wait to book airlines / hotels till the rates are low. My daughter goes to a private Christian school so the tour was set up with that in mind, interesting takes on our history. They did DC / Philadelphia / NYC.

What grade is this?
Mines in 5th right now.. I should probably start saving now..

It will take place when she is in 8th grade, she's in 7th now.

I went... I would say it worth it on all the things you get to see and learn... If you can afford it I would base it off whether they want to go... its no vacation thats for sure... up at 6am every morning... but a great experience none the less... The teachers are on the students like hawks as well... from what I remember

Our Daughter just went over spring break. She also was lucky enough to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.A HUGE honor for her and us. The tour was with her school thru the Smithsonian travel group. It was for 7 days and included DC, Philly, and NYC and a broadway play. Also a dinner cruise on the Potomac. The cost was 1700.00, insurance was 90 but we did not buy it. Sent her with 500 spending cash. Trip of a lifetime, she still says it was the best trip ever. Yours sounds a little pricey but probably still worth it. Highly recommend the Smitsonian group

My girls school went over spring break , only 28 kids went . I offered it to my girls ( twins ) , they said none of their freinds were going . I took the offer off the table at that time . A few freinds did go , had a good time just did alot in a short time . The price if I had sent them would of been killer for me . The school offered no help for people short on cost either .

QG here,

Wow that seems $$! When Sabrina was in 3rd year spanish (10th grade) they did 2 different trips they offered for about the same $$. One was to Spain and Portugal, the other was to South America for 9 days. Of course she did not go, but I thought that sounded like a great value!

Have your daughter talk to Vicki (Scataloni's daughter) and hear how she paid for her trip. She recycled cans! All dune season, everyone in our camp would bring our recyclables to her, well more like she was making camp rounds reminding everyone to save them for her, and by working this out she saved up enough $$ to go. I think they appreciate it a little more when THEY are out there working for the trip than handed over to them.

My son just went. Worth it for us cause we can afford it (it wasn't even a debate). However, if you cannot or if that represents a significant portion of your income, it will make the decision all that more difficult. I guess if you're 'really poor' the decision is already made for you though.

Stinks that a trip like this isn't included.

I hope you can swing it. Trip of a lifetime for my son.

Best of luck.

abc

Sent daughter on this a few yrs back, I think it was good to let her be a little independent even though it was chaperoned. She learned a lot and was a good experience for her, one thing is money, she needs a card to carry with her for purchases as they stop at places to shop and will not interupt the tour to take them to get money. Recommend a card you can limit the amount she can spend but you can add to at any time.

AM FROM THE BALTIMORE DC AREA AND THE TRIP IN ITSELF IS WORTH T .ALTHOUGH I DO THINK THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ASKES THE FINANCIALLY CAPABLE PARENTS CHILDREN TO GO.THERE ARE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF SEATS AND THE TEACHERS DO NOT EVEN BOTHER TO ASK THE POOR KIDS. I LIVE IN A MIXED FINANCIALLY NEIGHBORHOD . AND DREW THIS CONCLUSION AFTER I FIGURED OUT WHO WAS INVITED AND WHO WAS NOT.MY BOY IS GOING IN JUNE AND I FELT HTE SAME WAY ABOUT BEING RAILROADED INTO IT. YOU DONT WANT TO DISAPPOINT YOU KIDS.... THERE ARE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR POORER FAMILIES AND FUND RAISERS WE GOT A 400.00 SCHOLARSHIP AND RAN SOME FUNDRAISERS THAT PAID ABOUT 50% ALSO I HAD JR. GO DO ODD JOBE ,MOWING DOGGIE DOO,RAKING CARWASHING TO EARN THE MONEY AS WELL....

My oldest son did a Washington trip when he was in 8th grade (private school).............it was AWESOME for him....but 2400.00 is so much money. Are you doing fund raisers at all?

My younger son went last year and had a blast. Got to see all kinds of neat stuff and I think it was worth it to help him grow up a little and see DC along the way

For $3k, I'd take my kid to Europe for a week.

DC doesn't interest me as an adult whatsoever. Can't imagine a kid would be interested either.

I went in 8th grade and had the time of my life, I think my parents paid $1,100 in '93.

Serious (poor)

I can swing the trip but I also wanted to get her a 400ex this season too.... Needs a new bedroom set as well,, oh and....
Just trying to see if it's money well spent, looks like that's the case.

Sent my Grandson a few years ago, he lost his camera and phone.. but seemed to have a good time..

My parent's could have payed but they told me if I wanted to go I would participate in all of the fundraisers and come as close as possible to the full amount. I raised more than I needed and that gave me some spending money. I appreciated it a lot more than a lot of my friends whose parents had just paid. It was a great trip and I learned so much.

Just a thought, then you could still buy the quad????

I went in 8th grade....

Your Mom went to college......



I'm going to the meeting tomorrow night, my wife is the one that's all pizzed about it...
My daughter has had a rash of goodluck and nice things (read.. spoiled rotten), and her attitude has been less than perfect... you know the drill..
If it's something that she will remeber for the rest of her life, daddy will make it happen...

What I meant was like.. if you can barely put food on the table.. seriously poor, etc.. the decision is made for you already..

I can't write.. .ha ha ha..

Kids will remember these trips for a lifetime. Sometimes it seems like it's not fair, we get to go to Havasu for vacation, and the kids are traveling all over the world. Last year it was a field trip for Spanish class, a trip Spain for 10 days. Would have been much cheaper to go to Olvera Street.

It was a great trip. Got to see things about America I had only read about in books.
Gave me a better sense of Pride and Love for this Country, Honestly.
Jamestown, Liberty Bell, Capital, Constitution, Arlington....we saw so much in 1 week.

Plus add the fact are Parents were not there.....Just a few teachers and the Principal.

Did I learn allot? Yes...Respect for America.

Plus all the benefits of being a teenage boy...Sneaking outta the room at night, getting into the girls room...sneaking back before morning, scoring pot and liquor....

How can you deny your kid?

so could you put together a nice trip like the one you are referrencing for "us adults" lol.