ATHABASCA — High school students at Edwin Parr Composite (EPC) in Athabasca will be packing their bags next year.
Aspen View Public Schools (AVPS) trustees passed a motion at their Jan. 19 meeting giving their approval in principle to an out-of-country field trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands by Grade 10-12 students EPC during spring break 2024.
According to a letter submitted to the board by EPC principal Desmond Nolan, the trip will be open to students provided they take courses in Sociology, Tourism, or World Geography and they will receive a minimum of three credits for participating in this program.
“Students will miss up to four school days, however, arrangements to catch up or work ahead will be made with their teachers,” said Nolan, noting the total time for the trip is 10 days.
The itinerary for the trip includes touring the Ecuadorian capital of Quito; flying to Baltra Island to visit the Twin Craters and the Charles Darwin Research Station; travelling by boat to Isabela Island, the largest of the Galapagos Islands, and Santa Cruz Island; hiking to Tortuga Bay and visiting the Playa de los Alemanes Beach; a coastal walk/snorkeling excursion at La Loberia Beach on San Cristobal Island; a day trip to the town of Otavalo; and a guided tour of the Antisana Ecological Reserve.
Supt. Neil O’Shea said there have been questions about how the location of field trips are determined.
"I think generally chaperones would make that decision based on … maybe conversation with students about where they might like to go,” he said.
Given that the cost of this trip is $5,600 per student, O’Shea said they also “let the market determine” if there are enough students willing to go and enough parents willing to support them financially.
“If they don’t think that’s a good use of their money or their students don’t want to go, then I think the trip would not go forward,” he said.
Otherwise, he indicated the trip meets all the requirements for planning of out-of-country field trip planning.
“It sounds like an amazing learning opportunity for these students,” said board chair Candy Nikipelo. “The fact that they are doing approved courses adds to the value.”
