For the first time in what feels like forever, 9th-grade students are going on a field trip! High school ELA teacher, Dr. Lakenya Lockett, was sent an email that offered her students a free trip to the Raines v. Ribault baseball game on February 15, 2023. This game will continue the well-known Raines and Ribault rivalry.
Students like Tavee Powell, “Can’t wait!” After being introduced to a new level of difficulty for new high school students, this trip will be a great way for students to take a load off with their fellow peers. Seeing schoolmates outside of a classroom is rare and I’m sure not only students but faculty as well will have a great time!
But with all of this good, there is a catch. You see Dr. Lockett teaches only half of the 2027 class. Ms. Mcintyre teaches the other half. There are only enough tickets for half of the 9th-grade class. As you can imagine, this has caused some mixed reactions.
For some, the emotion they are feeling is jealousy, others anger, and some are just happy for their friends. But the main reason may not be the fact that they get to go to a baseball game or get out of class for a few hours. This swirl of different emotions could be due to field trips being such a rare occurrence.
If DCSOMA offered more field trips, one-half of 9th grade being able to go on one, might not be such a big deal. But since field trips only happen once in a blue moon, this has understandably caused some students to feel angry. When asked how they felt, one 9th-grade student from Ms. McIntyre’s ELA class stated, “I think it’s unfair, and we should also get a chance to take a break from daily stressful work and be rewarded too.”
But as stated before, it is a swirl of different emotions. While some feel joy and anger, others don’t feel many feelings at all. 9th-grade student Emmalyne Payne had rather conflicting feelings, stating, “I don’t really feel any type of way. Since it was your teacher who started it, it is only fair that her students are the ones allowed to go. I would like to go, not going to lie, but I truly don’t feel much at all.”
Field trips are unfortunately a rare occurrence due to several reasons. One is faculty and staff not understanding the importance of field trips for students. This column is to inform you (whether faculty, student, or other) of the importance of field trips.
Field trips can offer real-world experiences. They allow students to see and experience things that they will one day have to do in the real world. Students’ lifestyles can vary in several ways so, whether it’s a field trip to some fancy restaurant, a museum, a library, or just a local food market, that trip can make a huge impact on that student’s life.
Field trips can also be a benefit to adults. Teachers love what they do and they deserve to be rewarded for their constant hard work. A field trip can offer them a break, the ability to see their students outside of the classroom, and they can learn a thing or two themselves! Whether you’re a student, teacher, or a random pedestrian who happens to see one or the other while running errands, you should understand the true importance of student field trips.