“I was so impressed with the itinerary and how many places, monuments and attractions my son saw in only one week. He still talks about his time in New York and Washington, DC. We are signing our daughter up next year for this great trip!”
Pam Leavitt
Pam Leavitt
Dear parents who may be considering sending their children on the DC trip after 8th grade:
If there is only one thing you do to help prepare your student for high school, I strongly urge you to invest in the DC Tour with Sarah Waddell. Sarah had both my boys in class, and truly, she is the only person I have ever trusted to take my children out of town, no less across the country. I would do it again in a heartbeat, if only I had more kiddos to send. We sent our younger son on the trip in 2014.
Overview
This experience is much more than a tour of the Capitol, and a chance to stay in a hotel; for these young people on the verge of becoming young adults, it is an opportunity to gain perspective, independence, a sense of responsibility, and to ignite their curiosity about the world . Even if you family has been around the country and visited historic landmarks, I promise, your child has not experienced the unique blend of travel, education, maturing and camaraderie this trip affords.
Preparation
The benefits of this trip began well before the bags were packed and we drove to the airport. My son began talking about the trip at the beginning of 8th grade, and that is when he and his friends began plotting their fundraisers and saving for their own spending money. Our family also required that he raise a portion of the fee to help him understand the value of the experience, and the reward of being able to save for special things. He earned more than his share of the fee, and was still lining up babysitting jobs until the week before he left, just to make sure he had what he needed on the trip. It’s amazing how hard kids will work for something they really want!
Far from home
Sarah was amazing about keeping us up to date with the travel and personal experiences during the trip, She has run this program with the same travel company for years, and has her finger on every detail and possible outcome. I did not worry about anything, and knew that while they were away, she would treat each and every kid as her own, and handle whatever arose. She was clear about the rules and the kids understood that there would be no second chances. That rule actually began before the trip started, and the kids had to keep up their grades and behavior in order to be allowed to take part in the trip. Nobody wanted to blow the opportunity, and I think the group energy was very positive - peer pressure in the very best way possible.
As Sarah warned, we did not hear very much from my son during the trip. When we did here from him, it was usually in one word bursts. “ Awesome,” “Yes,” “Love you, too.” Those were nice words to see, and I knew they neat that he was having fun. I didn’t have any question that he was learning, and we were thrilled to know that he was loving the time away, and getting to share this time with kids he’d known for years; some since kindergarten.
Coming home
We missed our son more than we could have imagined, and could not wait to see him at the airport. He emerged sleepy, smiling and taller. He hugged many of the kids goodbye, including the chaperones, and then stumbled dazed and a bit teary out to the car. He had clearly had the trip of a lifetime, and one that would continue to unfold as he reflected on the places he went, the things he saw, and mostly the experience of seeing the world in a new way. He discovered a lot about the history of our country, and even more about himself.
Chaperones
We opted not to go along on this trip as we really wanted our son to have the experience of being away from home. It was the best thing we could have done. Whether you decide to go along, or not, know that this is a growth period in their emotional, physical and social maturity, and a spectacular thing to observe.
—————————————--
With deepest gratitude for the extraordinary Sarah Waddell!
Rachael Mortensen
Twality class of 2012 and 2014
If there is only one thing you do to help prepare your student for high school, I strongly urge you to invest in the DC Tour with Sarah Waddell. Sarah had both my boys in class, and truly, she is the only person I have ever trusted to take my children out of town, no less across the country. I would do it again in a heartbeat, if only I had more kiddos to send. We sent our younger son on the trip in 2014.
Overview
This experience is much more than a tour of the Capitol, and a chance to stay in a hotel; for these young people on the verge of becoming young adults, it is an opportunity to gain perspective, independence, a sense of responsibility, and to ignite their curiosity about the world . Even if you family has been around the country and visited historic landmarks, I promise, your child has not experienced the unique blend of travel, education, maturing and camaraderie this trip affords.
Preparation
The benefits of this trip began well before the bags were packed and we drove to the airport. My son began talking about the trip at the beginning of 8th grade, and that is when he and his friends began plotting their fundraisers and saving for their own spending money. Our family also required that he raise a portion of the fee to help him understand the value of the experience, and the reward of being able to save for special things. He earned more than his share of the fee, and was still lining up babysitting jobs until the week before he left, just to make sure he had what he needed on the trip. It’s amazing how hard kids will work for something they really want!
Far from home
Sarah was amazing about keeping us up to date with the travel and personal experiences during the trip, She has run this program with the same travel company for years, and has her finger on every detail and possible outcome. I did not worry about anything, and knew that while they were away, she would treat each and every kid as her own, and handle whatever arose. She was clear about the rules and the kids understood that there would be no second chances. That rule actually began before the trip started, and the kids had to keep up their grades and behavior in order to be allowed to take part in the trip. Nobody wanted to blow the opportunity, and I think the group energy was very positive - peer pressure in the very best way possible.
As Sarah warned, we did not hear very much from my son during the trip. When we did here from him, it was usually in one word bursts. “ Awesome,” “Yes,” “Love you, too.” Those were nice words to see, and I knew they neat that he was having fun. I didn’t have any question that he was learning, and we were thrilled to know that he was loving the time away, and getting to share this time with kids he’d known for years; some since kindergarten.
Coming home
We missed our son more than we could have imagined, and could not wait to see him at the airport. He emerged sleepy, smiling and taller. He hugged many of the kids goodbye, including the chaperones, and then stumbled dazed and a bit teary out to the car. He had clearly had the trip of a lifetime, and one that would continue to unfold as he reflected on the places he went, the things he saw, and mostly the experience of seeing the world in a new way. He discovered a lot about the history of our country, and even more about himself.
Chaperones
We opted not to go along on this trip as we really wanted our son to have the experience of being away from home. It was the best thing we could have done. Whether you decide to go along, or not, know that this is a growth period in their emotional, physical and social maturity, and a spectacular thing to observe.
—————————————--
With deepest gratitude for the extraordinary Sarah Waddell!
Rachael Mortensen
Twality class of 2012 and 2014
