We had to laugh at one parent's response to an inquiry about dietary restrictions or medical conditions for their student. We appreciate the levity! 

 

The Smithsonian gift shops are no longer taking cash, accepting only credit cards instead. Make sure your student is prepared for this change before his/her trip to Washington, D.C. Prepaid debit cards are a great and safe way to control what your student has access to and able to be replaced should they be lost. 

The change to cashless for the Smithsonian gift shops is part of a continuing evolution in the industry that is occurring as things reopen and travel resumes. We'll keep you abreast of the changes you need to know about for student travel!

The deadline for having a Real ID has been pushed back to May 2023 per the DHS. Click here for more information.

Iceland's Fagradalsfjall volcano erupted over the weekend. The small island country known for its unique geologic features just added another unique episode to its repertoire. 

Here's a link to a webcam where you can watch the lava flow in real time!

Fagradalsfjall Eruption

We'll get you excited about this tropical paradise!

Here's a synopsis of their interview:

Q. Can you give us a quick summary of the trip?

A. This trip has been carefully designed to see a bit of everything. From cloud forest to rain forest, white water rafting, zip lining over dense ecosystems, nature walks and service projects… learning from locals, helping to cook a traditional Costa Rican meal, being able to see toucans, iguanas, monkeys and sloth in the wild…. What else can top all this?

Every trip is different, and we are more than happy to customize it if needed, but one way or the other, there’s always something new out there waiting for us… Some groups begin their experience up in the mountains of Monteverde, then travel to La Fortuna, where Arenal Volcano can be seen from everywhere, and finally a white water trip down in the rain forest… it could happen the other way around, but no matter how the trip runs it’s going to be always fun,full of adventures and real life experiences.

Q, What are some of the favorite moments - from the kids' perspective - from the teachers' perspective?

JT and Carleen talk Grand Canyon:

Here's a rundown:

Q: When Grand Classroom started in 2002, the Grand Canyon was the first trip… tell me about that.

A: I’ve always loved the outdoors. I have done a lot of traveling and found my heart was in the west. The Grand Canyon being the marvel that it is, I wanted to get kids off the pavement and outside. 

Q: Now that we are here in 2020, everyone is talking about getting outside. What a wonderful place to go and bring students.