Title: CLS2-Palm Beach Gardens High School's Field Trip to Italy

Recommendation:
The School Board approve an educational field trip for Palm Beach Gardens High School Traveling Gators (Social Studies/AP World History Club) to travel to Italy from June 15, 2006 to June 24, 2006 on a tour from Rome to Florence.

Description:

A group of 25 students (19 girls and 6 boys) will be chaperoned by 3 School District of Palm Beach County Employees (social studies teachers) and one adult chaperone (approximately one chaperone per every 6 students attending the trip).  The group will be met in Rome by a tour director employed by EF Tours who will accompany the group throughout the trip.  This trip will provide the opportunity for advanced history students to apply their specialized knowledge of world history to the real world and to experience some of the places that they have studied.

The purpose of the trip is:

• To expose students to art, architecture and historical information that relates to their previous study of world history in order to reinforce previous study and to enrich their knowledge of the subject.
• To expose these students to the rich Italian culture and language in order to promote diversity and tolerance of other people, and an appreciation of other cultures.
• To help encourage other students to take advanced classes by presenting the experiences of this trip to the entire school at the beginning of the next school year.  The students will construct a video diary of their trip for this presentation.
• For the students to experience unique archeological sites such as the city of Pompeii and the Coliseum in Rome.
• For the students to visit Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, and gain a greater appreciation of the foundations of their own culture.

The students will travel to Rome, Italy via airplane and continue from there to various stops within Italy via bus.  The cost of the trip is $2479.00 per student.  This includes travel costs, two meals a day and accommodations.  The sponsor of the tour also recommended that students purchase trip cancellation insurance.  The students are able to raise funds through candy sales, key chain sales, school supply sales, donations and sponsorships by local businesses.  Every effort is made to assure that all eligible students have the opportunity to participate regardless of economic hardship.

The benefits to the District include:

• Representing Palm Beach County and Palm Beach Gardens High School.
• The knowledge and appreciation gained by these students of other cultures and reinforcement of their historical knowledge of classical, post-classical and modern history.
• Encouragement of other students to take more challenging, advanced classes through presentation of the video diary of this trip.
• Representation of the quality of programs offered by Palm Beach County and the high level of academic and talented students.

Financial Impact:
All funds will be raised through fundraisers or parent contributions so there is no cost to the District.

For Additional Information, contact:

Ann Killets   akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us

Marisol Ferrer

Jon Prince

Attachments (list):
PBGardensFTR.pdf
PBGardensItinerary.pdf
PBGardensLetter.pdf
PBGardensData2.pdf