This topic has been hitting our school like a bus, and I would like to discuss it. I’ve heard it in the halls, in my classes, and even from teachers: why are there little to no field trips? I have attended GEMS for a whole year and a half, and there has been only one field trip in all that time. That is ridiculous, and I’m certainly not the only person who thinks that.

We are growing middle schoolers, and most of us learn better with interactive teaching. Physically doing activities to receive information helps so much compared to sitting at desks and typing on a computer as you stare at the clock waiting for class to end. Instead, students are excited to do these trips and will still be educated by the end of it.

Yes, field trips can be for educational purposes, but sometimes they can be for middle schoolers to have a brain break and just have some fun with peers. It is easy for students to get stressed from school, especially since most of us have after-school sports and things to do. Field trips let kids enjoy their day and be relieved from one day or more of having to work.

Mrs. Freymond was interviewed and referred to what’s been the experience at Glen Edwards MS. She says that field trips haven’t happened because of concerns about student behavior. For example, at lunch, we make such a mess, so why should they trust us on a field trip out in public? If you trash the whole house and later that day ask your mom to sleep over at a friend’s house, are they going to say yes? No, definitely not. This view is definitely agreeable, but it also unfortunately is a downside for students who clean up after themselves and deserve enrichment.

Another reason why field trips are so rare is because there are many payments that add all together, such as payments for teachers who want to go, how many buses are needed, the fuel for the buses, and the payments to actually go to the place, which alone usually adds to around $1,000. That is a tremendous amount of money, but there are solutions that haven’t yet gone into action.

A solution for this problem could be to hold fundraisers specifically for a certain field trip and advertise them months before the planned event. Another problem addressed is the planning and how much thought and work gets put on staff members shoulders. This problem can be fixed by forming a group or committee of people who enjoy lots of planning or have good ideas so that it’s easier to plan our field trips and organize them.

There are some problems with why field trips happen less often, but they can be solved. We just need to take action!