As the school year is quickly winding down, it will soon be class fieldtrip season. Fieldtrips are a great opportunity for students to learn outside of the classroom. These trips are educational, whether the students realize it or not. In the past, the class fieldtrips have been the same every single year. However, this year the school board could potentially change the fieldtrips a little bit.

Most trips will remain the same. Seventh grade will still be attending the Pittsburgh Pirates game on May 13, 8th grade will still be touring the Carnegie Science Center on May 27, but 9th grade is where the possible changes could be happening. More details are to come. As for now, Assistant Principal Mr. Scaife gave some insight on what could be happening. Mr. Scaife stated that the 9th grade field trip could possibly be changed to visiting the State Capital and Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg. However, this change will require approval at the next school board meeting.

The remaining grades will also keep the same field trips.

Grade 10 will be taking on Gettysburg on May 18 as their class trip, and Mr. Scaife also added to this that they are going to “see the place where, as President Lincoln stated in the Gettysburg Address, we ‘can never forget what they (the brave men, both living and dead, who fought) did here’ (Lincoln, 1863).’ ”

Grade 11 will tour the Penn State campus on May 20, including the All-Sports Museum and Beaver Stadium and a stop at the world-famous Berkey Creamery on campus.

Lastly, the seniors will be taking on Washington D.C. on May 15. As Mr. Scaife explained: “They will tour the National Mall and see a number of monuments, the Smithsonian Museums, and Arlington National Cemetery and  participate in the Wreath Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”

As Mr. Scaife was giving information about the trips, he also stated why changes were made and why the trips are important to the students and staff here at CAJSHS. He explained that the changes were made to the 9th grade fieldtrip following the feedback that was given to them with regards to the fieldtrips.

Mr. Scaife added: “It is important and beneficial for all Americans to understand who we are as a people, and these trips are all tailored towards that goal. The thought was it is important that all students who graduate CAJSHS have been to the state capital, the nation’s capital, and the place where our forefathers ensured that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

The fieldtrips are educational, and they tie into the curriculum in numerous ways. The trip to Harrisburg deals greatly with civics, the ideas of the Enlightenment taught in the 10th grade World Cultures curriculum, and 11th grade US and PA history classes tie in with the trip to Gettysburg. The trip to Penn State University teaches students about being prepared for the future, as many graduates from CAJSHS go on to learn at one of the PSU branches. The Senior trip to Washington D.C. is thought of as a nice send off to the seniors and it certainly is an exciting trip.