NOLA for Graduation

School:: Walton Intensity School of Excellence
Subject:: Low Performing Students
Teacher:: Andrea Schiller
: Patrick Harmon
Students Impacted:: 10
Grade:: 12
Date:: October 5, 2022

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

The St. Joe Community Foundation - $1,498.49

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 5

We originally had 10 seniors who were to attend, but over the next few months, 5 of our seniors either transferred, became pregnant, or dropped out of school completely. It is super unfortunate, but the ones who went were dramatically impacted by the trip. Every one of them said they thought the trip would be boring because there were so many museums, but it was way actually a lot of fun. The second most interesting comment was that their favorite part was the house. One of the students has been in an RV for a few years and really appreciated being able to just be in an actual house for a few days. Public transportation was fun, but also, we were caught in the rain waiting for a bus resulting in us being soaked and cold for much of a day. Also, railcar routes changed, but that information was not on the app. We had to ask for help to get to the right location. It was SUPER cold and wet and windy the evening of the airboat, so we had to forgo that adventure and spent time by a warm fire at the house. Students tried new foods and learned about a variety of cultures and conflicts they never knew anything about before this trip. You changed their lives with this trip, and we are SO grateful! Students want to try living in a city now, and they also know public restrooms are few and far between in a city. They know how to use public transportation. They have seen art and listened to jazz and FELL IN LOVE! They have a different perspective of race relations and slavery from the past and today. They understand what made America so amazing during WW2 and the atrocities of that war. Please see the links for the pictures from the trip! There are over 100!

https://1drv.ms/a/s!AnLv5jdK2xxEhekPg8fcq1iCD8RPmA?e=Faz3p0

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YUi2k26S9d3LMcKt6

Original Grant Overview

Goal

100% of our graduating class is socioeconomically disadvantaged and/or at-risk for not graduating; and many of them have not left this county or state. For a senior trip, we picked New Orleans. It is not very far away and provides a larger city navigation experience with a variety of critically historic experiences, arts, multiple cultures, and diverse ecosystems. With this grant, students will know that as an incentive to graduate, they will be able to enjoy these amazing, life changing and eye-opening experiences. While this will not cover the entire cost of the trip, it will reduce the independent student cost to a manageable amount that students are confident they can earn or we will sponsor within our community/school, further encouraging them to graduate.

What will be done with my students

Students will have 3 days of experiences, upon school board approval. A male and female chaperone will escort students as they take a dive deep into American History, Slavery, Visual Art, and Wetland Ecosystems. Travel to and from, food, and lodging will be handled by the chaperones and paid for with fundraising/sponsorship monies. Students will leave in the afternoon on March 16th, which is the beginning of spring break, so they won’t miss any instructional time.
The first day, we will spend the entire day at the World War 2 Museum (WW2). It is the #3 museum in the US and #8 in the world. EVERY American high school student should go because questions about American policies will finally make sense. Students will leave this museum feeling proud to be an American.
The second day will be African American and Creole History. We will visit Laura Plantation, a plantation of the Creole people in French Louisiana and how the civil war impacted that plantation. We will also visit the Whitney plantation where the story of slavery is told from a first-person experience, covering themes of labor, survival, resistance, and collective memory. We will also stop by the Railroad African Museum which is housed in one of the only 4 room schoolhouses left in Louisiana where African American children where educated throughout the south.
The third day we will visit New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). We will register for a docent guided tour. This is a free event. We will them move to the New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM), located in the Tremé section of New Orleans, a neighborhood that was home to the nation’s largest, most prosperous and politically progressive community of black people by the mid-1850s. Finally, We will end the day with an airboat ride, a unique experience where they will learn about the swamps and wetlands ecosystem.

Benefits to my students

Ultimately, this trip is designed to expose students to the elements of a big city while giving them an understanding of how we got here as a nation. Students will return with an appreciation for the beauty of the human spirit and the courage that it takes to be great. All of US History will be covered on this trip, bringing US history to life- a critical subject for high school students including a graduating course required exam that this trip will help them pass. Architectural buildings, WW2 museum, and NOMA will also cover World History standards. NOMA and NOAAM will cover a variety of visual art standards but also link art to math and ecology standards. Plantations will connect students to slave and plantation life in a visceral way that will stay with them forever. Finally, the airboat ride will expose students to a variety of science standards including physics, biology, and ecology in a fun and unique experience that they may never experience again. Students will learn how to navigate a big city using blocks and maps and situational awareness which will help them if they have an opportunity to work in a city: they will feel like they have those skills to take into adulthood.

Budget Narrative

I have contacted these establishments to get discounted student/group rates for these prices. We are asking for funding to attend history, art/architecture, and ecological educational experiences for our graduating seniors. All prices are for 10 students and 2 adult chaperones:
World War 2 Museum (10@17.76 +20.89) entry total is $198.49 and WW2 Museum Movie entry (12@$7) total is $84. The movie is highly recommended. Laura Plantation (10@$8 +$36 for chaperones) total is $116. Whitney Plantation (10@$11+2@21) total is $152. River Road African Museum 12@$10 comes to $120. These plantations and museum come highly recommended as the best experiences. NOAAM 12@$10 totaling $120, and the NOMA is free. These museums will offer a wide variety of art experiences and cultural expressions. The unique Airboat Experience is 12@$59 for a total of $708 and will be the most thrilling event of the trip.

Items

#	Item	Cost
1	World War 2 Museum (10@17.76 +20.89)	$198.49
2	WW2 Museum Movie (12@$7)	$84.00
3	Laura Plantation (10@$8 +$36)	$116.00
4	Whitney Plantation (10@$11+2@21)	$152.00
5	River Road African Museum 12@$10	$120.00
6	NOAAM 12@$10	$120.00
7	NOMA with Docent	$0.00
8	Airboat Experience 12@$59	$708.00
	Total:	$1,498.49

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