Senior Trip Policy

This policy from Osceola Christian School outlines the purpose of the senior trip Washington DC. Use as a model for drafting a similar policy or to generate ideas for a trip to DC.

Osceola Christian School

High School Graduates – Washington DC Trip

Summary 

As part of the graduation process, OCS makes possible a well-thought-out highly educational trip to Washington DC to visit the Holocaust Museum, Bible Museum, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Eternal Flame, Capitol Hill, White House, and Arlington National Cemetery. The unique combination of visiting the Holocaust museum and Bible Museum alongside a visit to the USA Capitol provides a fertile environment to share the history of “The Skeleton in the Closet” on how the Anabaptists were hoodwinked into not seeing what was actually going on and actually participating in Hitler’s scheme to eradicate the Jews. 

This trip provides a deep dive into how the political machine of our country operates with a field trip guide who can clearly articulate to the students the two Kingdom concepts and the doctrine of non-resistance, a core doctrine of the conservative Anabaptist people. 

This trip also provides opportunity to educate our students on the history of this nation including the good, bad and ugly truths usually left unsaid. 

The desired outcome is for our students to have an eye-opening experience that helps them appreciate our Christian Anabaptist heritage and gives them tools to think critically about the opportunities and threats we face in today’s political climate of what it means to be 21st-century Kingdom builders. 

Qualification

A student is qualified to go on the DC trip if he/she has successfully earned a diploma or if student has completed a custom graduation plan as prescribed by the admin team.  

Trip details 

1. This trip usually takes place soon after school lets out during summer vacation. 
2. This trip is usually Monday through Saturday 
3. Parents are encouraged to engage their students in raising the funds for the trip. 
4. The total cost for the trip can vary from year to year depending on air fare prices and cost of renting an apartment for the week in Washington DC (estimated cost $1000-1200).
5. Each year OCS appoints a Washington Trip sub-committee from the board and staff members to oversee the trip. The committee may delegate the actual planning and going on the trip to trusted brothers in the church who would like to participate. 
6. For continuity there will be overlap from one year to the next of the tour guide to ensure each tour guide has been properly trained. 
7. The sub-committee will meet with prospective parents of graduates at the scheduled OCS School meeting to give the parents an orientation and help them prepare for the trip well in advance. 
8. Students will be required to read at least two books and watch one video prior to the trip. 

It is the vision of OCS to make this a signature part of graduating from our school and something students look forward to throughout their high school experience.  

Photo by Louis Velazquez on Unsplash.