BELPRE - Plans to take next year's eighth-grade students on a history and culture trip to Washington, D.C., were approved by the Belpre City Schools District Board of Education Monday.
Melinda Baker and Greg Osburn, parents with students in Belpre Junior High's seventh grade, told the board about the trip for the class of 2018.
"We started about four years ago to make plans to take the students to Washington, D.C., in their eighth grade year and that is coming up next year," Baker said. "We feel it would be very educational and worthwhile for the students."
Article Photos
Melinda Baker and Greg Osburn, parents with students in Belpre Junior High’s seventh grade, present the Belpre City Schools District Board of Education with plans to take next year’s eighth-grade students to Washington, D.C., for a history and culture tour. (Photo by Jolene Craig)
Board members Rod Hineman, Fred Meredith and Leonard Wiggins agreed.
"I think it is fantastic," Wiggins said. "You can read all the books you want and look at the pictures but there is nothing like going to these places."
Plans are to do the three-day trip next October, which will make it cheaper to visit the area and less crowded as most school trips are done in the spring, Osburn said.
"We tried to make it as economical as possible to include as many students as possible," he said.
The group has raised some funds to help cut the costs for parents, as the trip is expected to cost $350 a child.
"We will do everything we can to get every child to go on this trip," Osburn said. "We will do what we can to help those who cannot afford it."
An informational meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the Belpre High School library for parents of interested eighth-graders.
In other business:
* Jane McCullors, an ambassador for Lifeline 3of Ohio, presented a program to the board in regard to organ donation.
"We go into schools and give the facts in a nonpersuasive program that allow the students to understand what organ donation is and how it helps," McCullors said. "We would like to start a working relationship with Belpre City Schools."
Superintendent Tony Dunn said he supports the organization's efforts.
"This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart," Dunn said. "My granddaughter just celebrated the fifth anniversary of a heart transplant.
"It's a gift that saves lives; besides, others can use our organs when we're done with them," he said.
* There will be Veterans Day events at each school with the high school having a celebration at 1:45 p.m. Nov. 9 while the elementary school will have activities on Nov. 12 with an assembly at 1:30 p.m.
Veterans are encouraged to attend these events.
"I'm a firm believer in celebrating Veterans Day with veterans; it gives a better sense of the sacrifice they make other than just a day off of school," Dunn said.
