From language immersion to public health, Paideia’s travel program has given students the chance to learn beyond the classroom for over 30 years. But this year, due to high student interest, Paideia offered more trips than ever before.
According to Vice Principal, Miranda Knowles, “The travel program is a way for Stacey and me to express our love for the school.” Although neither Knowles nor Winston grew up traveling, Knowles shared that her experiences playing and coaching ultimate frisbee overseas taught her the value of travel.
The purpose of these trips is not only to learn about other places and cultures, but for students to discover more about themselves. Visiting other countries and cities helps students look at the world through a new perspective. The marvels and struggles of other communities parallel similar affairs closer to home, such as how issues with healthcare accessibility in Thailand mirror those in rural Georgia.
This year, Tom Taylor and the Paideia School authorized the application of financial aid percentages to the cost of trips. This new policy supports Paideia’s mission of continued equity and inclusion and likely contributed to the record-breaking 125 applicants. “It just felt right,” Knowles reflected, adding, “We needed to be able to offer this opportunity to all of our students.”
Although this year’s trips have been an overwhelming success, one major concern arose: many students and faculty returned sick. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” remarked Knowles, noting that illness has been an issue in previous years.
Although illness is an inherent risk of travel, Knowles suggested possible solutions for future trips: “We’re considering mandating masks for airports and airplanes.” She also shared that Paideia recently partnered with International S.O.S., an emergency services organization. “We are more prepared for the safety and wellbeing of students than we ever have been,” she assured, noting that I.S.O.S. offers 24-hour help in case of healthcare emergencies.
As the travel program looks to the future, some potential trip ideas for next year include: the history and culture of Japan, the biology of the Galápagos Islands, Spanish language immersion in Buenos Aires and French language immersion in Québec City. “My personal goal is for everyone to go on at least one big Paideia trip while they’re here, and I hope everyone applies,” Knowles ended with a smile.
