Learning & Discovery in Our Nation's Capital

The Eighth Grade Students at New Jersey's Paterson Public School# 12 are predominantly Latin@ and African American children of parents with low socio-economic status. Most of the children are first and second generation Americans and nearly all of them would be the first in their family to graduate college.  I was astonished to learn that of those who were born in New Jersey, not one of them has ever traveled outside of the state and a few of them have basically never left Paterson. Yet, they are eager to learn and excited for the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. with a one-night hotel stay to visit museums and national historic landmarks. In May of 2019, with the aid of your generous donations, we were able to make this trip. The children learned and had a glorious time. We are endeavoring to make this an annual trip.

It costs $275.00 for every child. That is a considerable amount to ask of some parents who recently were unable to afford a $15.00 field trip to the local movie theater where the children were to view the movie adaptation of a novel they had just recently read. Nevertheless, the Eighth Grade Teaching Staff is committed to bringing this vision to fruition. With the help of generous donors, I am sure we can make this eighth-grade school year a most memorable learning experience for the children we serve. The following information has already been shared with the parents:

The Eighth Grade Teaching Staff is pleased to announce preliminary plans for an overnight field trip to Washington D.C. We are proposing to depart from School 12 early on the morning of Thursday, May 23, 2024 check into a hotel near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va. where we will be staying that night after visiting the museums and monuments listed below. On Friday, May 24th, we will visit more museums before returning that evening to School 12.  We will visit:

·        The Frederick Douglass Home and National Museum

·        The National Museum of African-American History and Culture

·        The Smithsonian

·        The Monuments at the Washington D.C. Mall, Including:

         o  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

         o  Abraham Lincoln

         o  Thomas Jefferson

         o  George Washington

o Howard University

Please help us with all fundraising activities.

We have contracted with One If By Land Tours to plan this trip.