Tips and Tricks for Traveling with Your Students

Alex Roesser, Teacher

As an educator who has also logged over 50,000 miles with her students, I have picked up a few tricks on the road for managing and running trips smoothly. The first rule to abide by is Murphy’s Law, meaning that things can, and will, go wrong. However, with the right attitude, copious amounts of planning, and a few tips from a student travel expert, you can be prepared for whatever Murphy (or Caden, Aiden, and Jaden) has in store for you.

1. Take Attendance with Numbers, Not Names

Before you leave, make an alphabetical attendance list of your travelers and have them memorize the number that is next to their name. When it’s time to take attendance, students will loudly call out their numbers in order. This is so much more efficient than repeating, “Bueller? Bueller? Are you there?

2. Know Your Students’ Medical Concerns 
Check with your school to see their policy about administering medication away from school or home. Most schools will say that students need to have any prescriptions in a labeled bottle, and that chaperones need to administer them. You may also need to get written parental permission for over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin or motion sickness relief. Additionally, you need to be aware of any students’ allergies. In a time of crisis, you don’t want to second guess whether the student needs an epi-pen. Make a confidential spreadsheet that all chaperones have to carry.

3. Bring Garbage Bags
When traveling by bus, students seem to think that the vehicle is magically cleaned by bus fairies who will carry away their rubbish. Bring a roll of garbage bags and walk up and down aisles every few hours so students can dispose of trash on a regular basis. The bags are also helpful in case a student becomes ill. This is a lesson I learned first-hand this past year when six students got the Norovirus on a trip to Washington, DC.

4. Drink Water and Avoid Junk
We have a standing rule when we travel: no food on the bus unless we provide it. No one wants to smell teriyaki beef jerky and sour cream chips wafting to the front of the bus. Tell students that snacks are to be packed in their suitcases for the hotel only. Not only does it cut down on gross smells, it will help keep your bus cleaner. We buy cases of water and granola snacks for students to have when they need them. The water also helps students from getting dehydrated and keeps their energy levels more stable. Trust me, if you give a child an opportunity to drink nothing but pop for 3 days straight, they’ll do it like it’s their job.

5. Be Strict About Time
Being on time to meeting points is essential to a smoothly-running trip. If you are late for appointments, tours, or reservations, your group will quickly earn a reputation as one that people do not want to work with. Have students set alarms on their cell phones and be serious about consequences. Ours is one night of detention for every minute late. We rarely have students late because of the importance that we place on this virtue.

6. Have a Healthy Sense of Humor and Gratitude
During the previously mentioned trip to DC, I was in a parking lot cleaning a child’s vomit off my bookbag when I had to step back and laugh at my situation. If you are wound too tightly, you will ruin the travel experience for your students, many of whom have worked very hard to attend. No matter what’s happening, take a minute to step back and realize that you’re providing a wonderful opportunity for your students—even if one gets their knee caught in the Capitol railing, causing a major security concern. (Also true!)

Enjoy your students on the road, and also make sure that they are getting the most out of their experiencing by utilizing these tips from a veteran traveler.

Stop Texting and Start Writing Again: 5 Amazing Ways a Pen Pal can Enhance Students’ Lives

Beth Hedrick, Teacher

I have always loved learning about how other people live. Different lifestyles in different parts of our great big world have always fascinated me. I have also found that this also is intriguing to my students, and introducing a pen pal into their lives can open their minds to how others spend their lives. So, what is a pen pal anyway?

A pen pal is a person from another state in our country, or from another country, with whom another person can write letters to. This person, typically a school student, writes letters back and forth with another student and can become lifelong friends. In an educational setting, a pen pal can enhance a student’s life in several ways.

Cultures Unite!

It makes me so happy to see my students write to their pen pals.  Watching them think through their words they put on paper and physically see them write as if they were talking to their new friend across the room makes my heart sing. But this isn’t just about me, or you, as a teacher. It is all about them and how they are building those cross-cultural relationships from their classroom. Pen pals undeniably break down the barriers of the classroom and give the students an enriching opportunity to come to respect different cultures, all using paper, pen, and their inquiring minds.

If your students are writing to a pen pal in another state within the US, or another country, they will benefit from this eye-opening experience. Pen pals I have done in the past were to students in another school just one hour away, with the difference being that our school is in a very rural area, and the students they were writing to were in a very urban area. Many of my students lived in town limits (a town of 500 with one stoplight!) or in a house surrounded by farmland.  My students benefited from “seeing” what life was like living in a city and attending a school three times the size of their school.  Some of my second graders learned what an “apartment” was and what it was like living in a large building shared by others! In contrast, some of their pen pals from the city realized that life without neighbors and street lights is not necessarily “boring” as they learned the many things my students did on their farm with their animals.

Pen pal correspondence can be beneficial even if writing from one state to the next; if you are just starting out with this experience, perhaps this would be a great place to begin. On the other hand, international pen pal writing is also a very rewarding and gives the students a wealth of knowledge about life in another country across the globe.

It’s Meaningful

Pen pals are wonderful for students on all writing levels. Struggling writers benefit from writing letters to a friend because they are writing for a purpose, and their writing is very meaningful to them.  As a teacher, just to observe the ones who typically find writing a challenge really try their best to communicate in this way is fulfilling. I find that they also ask for help by asking questions such as, “How do I tell her this?” or “Can I ask about that?” Just the mere fact that they want to write and make it matter makes me want to jump for joy!  When writing for a purpose, the students are significantly motivated to communicate with their friend about their cultures, current events, geography, beliefs and customs, and so much more.  And for you as a teacher, you suddenly feel your life is complete, even if it is for twenty minutes or so.

When writing back and forth with a friend, a bond is formed which can be an uplifting experience for students who are not as “social” as others. For those students, it is refreshing to know that there is a person who may have various things in common with them, and someone to “listen” to the many thoughts and ideas they may have.

And you need not worry about those polished writers who need to be pushed to feel satisfied. They tend to feel very motivated as well, and typically write more detailed and longer letters, complete with illustrations for their pen pal to admire.

Writing is Improved

Writing is essential in the development of communication skills, critical thinking, abstract thoughts, imagination, and creativity.  In order to facilitate your learning environment to help them achieve all of this, pen pals add that extra layer of building upon these skills. It is something different and fun, and, it gives students an outlet to express themselves by sharing their beliefs, ideas, and their personality.  And, which is probably one of the most important things of all…it builds confidence.

In the beginning, I learned to guide my students through the letter-writing process and to show them the importance of “listening” to their pen pal’s writing and replying accordingly. This can be done by modeling before the pen pal experience begins using sample letters, and can be followed through by helping the students “write back”.  Writing along with the guidance of the teacher, and even their peers, helps the students become more natural and fluid as they pen their words on paper. I always loved having the students write to others as a way to not only improve this precious skill but to become a better reader! Over time, especially once a true relationship is built, the students are able to appropriately respond to their pal and then add new ideas to their letter. And, oh, what a sight that is to see!

Hello and (Yay!) To Snail Mail!

I noticed when my students finished writing their letters to their faraway friends and they sign their name; they have a look of pride. Even those who love to write have a boost of feel-good, confidence-building that just shows upon their face. I can see it from across the room! So, once they are finished, I bet you can guess what they will ask me soon after that. They ask a few questions, such as, “When will they get mailed out?” and “When will they write back?”

Clearly, the students learn something that is not in the traditional curriculum: patience. With letter writing by way of the postal service, students forego the instant gratification of a reply in exchange for a delayed gratification. Sometimes a response from their pen pals can be a few weeks! This not only develops patience, but it also gives the students something to look forward to. The anticipation of a letter from their pen pal is something they will always remember.

A New Friend is Made!

If you are a teacher or have a job where you work with kids, you are quite familiar with those students who need a little more guidance and modeling with social skills. Peer interactions are essential in getting through the school day, and in their future years to get through a day at work. For those students who are shy or sensitive, to those who are more on the feisty side, pen pals can benefit them by enhancing their social skills. Even if it is not a face-to-face interaction, eventually they will begin to make stronger connections to their friend, and eventually they will become closer.

I have observed my students discuss their friend with their peers as well. I have given them many opportunities to do so. The conversations between the students are very eye-opening for me as a teacher; I have learned that they really care about what their new pal is up to lately, their likes, dislikes, their pets…everything! So, when in fact social skills are increasing between the actual pen pal and each student, they are also becoming more prevalent between their peers in the classroom.

Pen pals can be found in many ways. There are online pen pal sources through safe and credible websites (be sure to check!) or you can find pen pals for your students by getting in contact with schools in your area. If you would like your students to experience an international pen pal, you can choose a country and find the address to a school of your choosing.  Many teachers are open to invites to the pen pal experience and would love to share their students with yours. I have found that pen pals not only have enhanced the educational experience for my students but have added more to their lives by way of character development. Compassion, dedication, loyalty, and understanding are just a few of these vital character traits necessary to grow into happy and well-rounded adults. Not to mention the academia of it all…pen pals are definitely a win in my book.

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months.

Why East Coast Students Should Travel to Western States 

Beth Hedrick, Teacher

If you are an educator on the East Coast, you may come to realize that many of your students have never been to the Western states of our country. I remember one-day several years ago when teaching about pioneer life in the west, I had a map of the country displayed on my Smartboard. The students “mapped” where they had traveled on the interactive map. Would you be surprised to find out that only two of my eighty students had traveled past the point of Tennessee? Many of them had been to Florida, Maine, and New York from our state of Virginia, and a few had been out of the country.


With all of the history lessons we are required to teach about happenings in the western states, it would only make sense to actually visit, right? This traveling teacher thinks so! Opening up the minds of students in our beloved eastern states and connecting the past of our great country by making it more “real” can be accomplished by developing an educational itinerary and hopping on those charter buses. Here are several ways traveling to the western states can enhance the learning of “East Coast kids.”

The Topography
When you venture with students west of Tennessee, the change of the landscape is quite eye-opening. Being accustomed to the east coast, our students are usually surprised at the fact that they can see ahead for miles, miles, and more miles. The mountainous terrain will be behind them, and the flat land are remarkably noticeable to them. What a great opportunity to teach the students about the topography changes within our country and the significance in the history of the Great Plains. Depending on how far you travel west, you may have the experience of seeing the students’ eyes light up in amazement at the significant changes in land forms once you cross the western states of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, or New Mexico. They will greet the Rocky Mountains with amazement due to the significant size as compared the Appalachians, and will be even more astounded to find out that the Appalachians, at one time, were the same height as the Rockies!

A Vast History
In addition to the science concept of land forms, you can engage students in a multitude of lessons in the rich history of the western states. You can discuss the Native Americans, namely the Plains Indians, the Conquistadors, The Desoto Trail, The Lewis and Clark Expedition, the extensive fur trade, The Louisiana Purchase, and the increase of population during the westward expansion. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl can also be focused on, as well as pioneer life and the development of the railways. There are many other history topics that the western states can offer, it’s limitless.  

National Parks 
Visiting westward states as a learning experience can bring you and the students to several famous National Parks and other famous sites, such as Mount Rushmore! National parks are an ideal way to teach science and history content, and with the students actually being there to witness the sites makes it so very real to them. Yosemite, Redwoods, Death Valley, Arches, The Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone are National parks that are sure to amaze the students as well as you!  Visiting National Parks gives the students a first-hand experience in witnessing the preservation of our country’s natural past and culture as it once was. Learning and understanding their connection to these natural environments gives insight into the environment and the complex plant and animal life it holds. Students also can learn interesting facts about each National Park; for example, did you know that Yellowstone National Park is the size of Rhode Island and Delaware together and houses over 300 geysers?

Of course, it would be challenging to visit each of these enormous preservation sites, so focus on a few when planning your educational journey.

Flora and Fauna
When taking your students on this significant learning experience, they may see animals they have never seen before (outside of a zoo!). Getting to see these animals, such as bison, elk, bighorn sheep, moose, and, of course, bears will delight any age group of students. In addition to the animal types, the plant life in the different climate zones, including the trees (and cacti!), may spark their interest as well. To touch even more on science, a discussion of the climate and the reasons why those particular plants can survive in the hotter, harsher climate will expose them to the concepts of adaptation.  Seeing real examples of adaptation and how this unique climate contains living things exclusive to the region is super fascinating!  How cool is that?  If you plan on taking a field trip out west with your students, take the time to plan. You can even engage the students by making them be a part of the planning of the itinerary, depending on the age group. You will see the excitement build within them!

Teach the specific concepts before the adventure will help the students grasp and hold on to the knowledge they have gathered. For example, if you teach middle school history, reading Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse before you go will truly bring this historical fiction novel to life; they will develop a deeper understanding of the Dust Bowl while visiting those states.  Pre-teaching several topics will compound your journey and make it most definitely worthwhile!

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months.

Old School Strategies for New Age Kids

As a case manager for high school gifted students, I often get many requests from parents. Many requests involve scheduling classes or ensuring their child is enriched beyond the regular ed curriculum. But, recently I received a request that I deemed as unique.  I was asked to add study guidance to a student’s specially designed instruction. Dumfounded, I met with my student. He sheepishly admitted that he doesn’t study. In fact, no one that he knows really does. And, he’s starting to realize he can’t keep up with his AP courses, and get the grades he desires. It obviously seemed like a given to me, that he simply needed to study. But, what do you do with a student (or students) that simply don’t know how to get started with this important skill? My answer? Go “old school.” Here are five fast ways you can get your students back on track and instill essential studying habits that prepare them for college life!

Tip 1-Pass out Calendars
The first step to studying is to know what you’re studying for! Take five minutes at the beginning of class and hand each student a calendar. You can print free blank templates for the entire school year off various sites (http://www.printablecalendar.ca/). Demonstrate how to pencil in assigned tests, quizzes, and projects. You may be rolling your eyes at this suggestion, but tweens and teens have become nearly helpless today with the abundance of technology ready and willing to do everything for them.

Tip 2-Budget Time
Relate studying to a budget. You have to plan to set aside specific amounts of time to study and prepare for assignments. Again, it may seem like a no-brainer, but post an example of an assignment due on a calendar, and visually show students how to go through the “budgeting” process by writing 15 minutes on one day of the calendar, an hour on another, and so on. Students will need to work around their work schedule, after-school activities, and plans with friends to ensure they set aside enough time to review notes and read texts.

Tip 3-Teach Multi-Tasking
The biggest complaint I get from my students is that they just don’t have enough time to make flashcards or review notes (if they bother to take them!). So, I ask them to give me a rough breakdown of their day. Trust me, after viewing what they give me they have more than enough time to study. They simply aren’t aware of multi-tasking. One of my athletes said he ices his leg for a half hour after practice each night. I suggested he read and highlight his notes, or plan to read a chapter for his lit class. Although he looked at me like I was from Mars, I explained that’s how easy it is to multi-task! After a week of adopting this method, my student informed me he “found” more open time to do “stuff” like that. Hmm, who would have thought?

Tip 4-Showcase Methods
I know it may seem like an ancient practice, but I credit a lot of my educational success to taking notes and routinely reviewing them. I taught my sophomore students how to physically jot down notes by showing him an educational, age appropriate Chemistry video clip on Youtube. I modeled what information was important and needed to be notated, and explained that he didn’t have to record the video word for word, but only to abbreviate the important points. My student looked as though the lightbulb exploded in his brain as he remarked, “Great idea.” I really blew his mind when I went on to explain how he could also study by making content meaningful. We had a lively discussion about acronyms, remembering names and dates based on poems and sayings, and I even helped him make connections between some famous philosophers and people in his life that they reminded him of. There is also an abundance of study sites that students can access on the go (like Quizlet). Again, after I showed my student how to access and utilize online flashcards, you would have thought I told him he won the lottery.

Tip 5-Role Play
Tweens and teens love to laugh. And, nothing makes better entertainment than pulling a few students out of the bunch (the ones you know will really ham it up) to role play in order to demonstrate productive study strategies, and unproductive study strategies. You could even get creative and put your class in groups, video tape them, and have a playback session for all to enjoy (and wrap up your study strategy lesson).

My point for writing this article is that we as modern educators tend to assume too much of our students. We need to take the time to walk our kids through each step and method to help them become productive students, to remain organized, to manage their time, and become successful academically. Hopefully, these five fast strategies will help you help your students and will bring back the importance of the lost art of studying!

What Students Really Learn When Traveling to NYC

By Beth Hedrick

I grew up always wishing and hoping to be able to travel to New York City. I was curious, always have been, of the lifestyle of the locals and the bustle of the city. I remember learning about the history of famous landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and yearning to just go there and see it for myself. Instead, I just sat in my hard desk chair and learned it via movie strip in the classroom.

When I turned thirty, I finally got to go with a friend, because, well, my dream didn’t die. We went for a week, and I remember laying eyes on the city for the first time, intensely awestruck at what I was standing in the middle of. It really is unexplainable. I also remember thinking, ‘Oh, if I could just share this experience with my middle school students…’

That’s what good teachers do. They always think of the best ways to motivate and impart any information into the minds of the young, so they won’t forget it…ever. New York City has so much to offer to students in every subject area. And being there is hands down a once in a lifetime experience.

A Rich History
Visiting New York City is an ideal way to teach students many historical concepts. There is such a dramatic myriad of opportunities to teach history that, of course, it cannot be done in one, two, or even three days. The number of opportunities for learning specific historical concepts is great, therefore, as a teacher you need to plan, plan, and plan some more. The ideal way to give your students the history education that they will always remember is to choose a few key concepts you want them to explore. To combine history with the sciences, many teachers choose one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in the world, The American Museum of Natural History, and others, namely The 911 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, and The Federal Reserve. These are a few icons in which a solid and sound history lesson can be taught.

Science
There is just no comparison to teaching science in a classroom, or even a lab, than allowing them to have direct, real, hands-on experiences and active roles in discovery. This is very true for any age. In fact, even teens love the excitement of an “entertaining” science museum! One amazing, breathtaking experience is the Space Show at the Hayden Planetarium. This experience allows the students to be involved in their learning by allowing them to feel as if they are really a part of the action. It really is a challenge to learn about the miracle of outer space in a classroom setting; which needs to be accomplished in a real-life setting. This type of learning is much more efficient and exciting for students – even those who struggle in a traditional classroom.

The Importance of the Arts
In traditional educational settings, the arts sometimes get put along the wayside, especially in traditional elementary schools. Research demonstrates that children who consistently learn music, art, dance, and media (to name a few) achieve more when learning general subject areas, so this makes me ask, “Where is the A in STEM?” The exhilarating thing about teaching through travel is that the students will take home a wealth of knowledge that will last a lifetime.  One place on the map that students will cherish for a lifetime is visiting The Theater District, which includes Radio City Music Hall and Broadway.

The Epitome of Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is a topic in which all students should learn about, or better yet, be immersed in. The knowledge and understanding of everyone’s differences in our country, from learning about immigration (hello, Ellis Island!) to being aware of social and cultural differences and how they make up our great nation is so very crucial. New York City undeniably delivers in the teaching and learning of our country’s multiculturalism; it is a city full of diversity, exposing students to people from other cultures. Sharing boroughs and neighborhoods the Italians, Puerto Ricans, Jamaicans, Russians, Koreans, and many more, show the students that people from all walks of life can accept one another’s difference for the sake of humanity.

When visiting New York City, not only will your students learn key concepts according to your curriculum, they will achieve an understanding of the completely unique lifestyle and culture of those who make the illustrious city their home.

Beth Hedrick has been educating students for 22 years. She teaches in a rural southwest Virginia community that values the education of every student. She is the mother of two boys, Aaron and Landon, and is married to Todd.

She is an advocate for Autism Awareness, as her son Landon has Asperger’s Syndrome. She has served on her community and school system’s autism support team. Beth enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Basset Hound, Lenny. She also likes to read, write, blog, and travel in the summer months.

"Go Play Video Games!"

By Heather Aulisio

Words You Never Thought You’d Utter, But 5 Reasons Why You Should.

Up until recently, I used to cringe when I’d listen to my students talk about playing video games. I’d start thinking about the hours of their lives that they wasted, the brain cells they’ve killed, and the moments they missed because they were cooped up in their room gaming all afternoon and night. But, I recently learned that playing video games in moderation is actually beneficial for today’s youth. How? Let me explain! After you hear my five reasons (with research), you may change your tune about your students’ after school activities too!

1.Video Games Improve Memory
A recent study concludes that playing 3D video games can aid in memory formation, which is highly important for today’s youth. The University of California, Irvine asked non-gaming students to commit to playing video games (either 2D or 3D) for about a half an hour every day for the course of two weeks. Before and after the sessions, students had to participate in an object-recognition memory test that engages a part of the brain associated with higher-level thinking and memory. The study showed that students who played 3D games improved their scores on their memory tests by about 12 percent! So, if you see students struggling with studying or remembering facts or figures, suggest they get on the gaming bandwagon!

2.Video Games Boost An Interest in History
If you’re struggling to get your students interested in a war or era in history, consider suggesting that they pick up the controllers. Tons of video games have historical settings and events that power the game. They also get introduced to new cultural situations, languages, and even visuals that they normally wouldn’t be immersed in. Researchers David Shaffer and James Gee found that when children have parents or teachers who offer or suggest historical games, they can tie what they see into 

3.Video Games Assist Motor Skills
Some teens and tweens still suffer from poorly developed motor skills. One way they can get stronger is by gaming. How? They can take a cue from some of the best surgeons-who coincidentally have played hours of video games in their youth. CBS News reports that researchers found that doctors who spent at least three hours a week playing video games made about 37 percent fewer mistakes (in laparoscopic surgery). They also performed tasks 27 percent faster than other doctors who did not play games. Hey, if it works for doctors, it can certainly help your students!

4.Video Games Promote Leadership
Do you have some students that need a confidence boost in regards to their leadership skills? Encourage them to play some games. Studies show that there are many games that encourage kids to complete a task or mission for the good of others. Kids are actively involved in decision making, thinking quickly, and solving real world problems. Some games foster the feeling of community and may help kids want to step into more leadership positions in the classroom because they have built their confidence with completing missions, saving characters, or directing others while gaming together as a team or pair.

5.They Improve Vision
I constantly remember my parents telling me to get off my video game or not sit closely to the television when playing. But recently, studies show that playing video games occasionally may actually make your vision better. Playing action games helps high school kids drive well in the dark, and even read at night. National Geographic News reports that the contrast sensitive function allows people to pick up on changes in shades of gray against a colored backdrop. This is also one of the first visual aptitudes to diminish with age-so adults may even want to start gaming a few times a week.

So, are you still convinced video games are terrible? Video games are not going away, but it’s reassuring to know that there are some significant benefits from playing them. They next time you hear your students’ brag about their gaming sessions, ask them to tell you about it, rather than scold them or dismiss it as a waste of time!

Where Democracy Lives

Mark Twain so pointedly tells us that “travel is fatal to prejudice,bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Twain’s statement can directly relate to why every student needs to discover our country and the world outside their hometown. Understanding different cultures simply changes your life forever for the better. Imagine a 10-year-old who cannot go to school because her job is to bring 10 gallons of water a day to her family. Imagine a society where every family grows its own food and has nothing to supplement their meals. Or, imagine a place where students listen to gunfire on their walk to school.

In recent years, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has hosted Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Elie Wiesel and a plethora of other important world leaders. (Ronald Reagan dedicated the cornerstone in 1990.) While the speakers and the museum’s programs and exhibits are in fact, incredible, the experience always becomes focused at more personal level. A visitor is inundated with rich information about World War II and the Holocaust. Survivors who were mere children during these days tell their stories (some in person but most via media) which are compelling and awe-inspiring. The power of the message helps to ensure that atrocities perpetrated by mankind remain etched in our minds forever so that we do not repeat them.

Sharing history and culture with thousands of young people over many years remains the cornerstone of American education. Today, as technology makes our world smaller, it has simultaneously magnified our political, geographic, and cultural differences. The importance of sharing history has grown exponentially especially as the time required to communicate has diminished to seconds.

There is much evidence of a growing movement: A fourteen-year-old from Philadelphia drags his parents Washington DC to visit the new Museum of African American History, two young college women lead their colleges in creating organizations to make sure the lessons of atrocities are not lost forever, a teacher from Texas raises money and leads a trip to New York City to understand immigration to America, thousands of students from North America travel to 20+ countries to build classrooms, children from every mid-eastern country become friends at a New England summer program, and countless others embark on opportunities to protect their own future.

Be part of this movement. You CAN change the world one mile at a time. Tomorrow’s leaders have chosen their path, and it involves exploring and understanding the history of our country and the cultures of our planet. Explore with your students, immerse them in the breadth of our Nation’s story. You may change lives forever while you watch your students become smarter, happier, and gain an understanding of what lies ahead as our future heroes.