Washington, DC

May 30 ‐ June 2, 2025

Heather McNitt

• Member of the MS PTO
• I have 3 daughters - all attended PPMS
• I have been a teacher at Hartford High School for 22 years
• Planned and executed a senior trip to Florida at Hartford for 20 years
• My oldest daughter (graduated 2023) took this trip in 8th grade
• Middle child (class of 2025) did not get to attend - bummer
• I believe this trip teaches so many valuable lessons, which is why I wanted to make sure there was an opportunity made available to this group of kids, and hopefully future groups
• Independence
• Curiosity
• Problem solving
• Sticking to a schedule
• Trying new things/new experiences
• Preparing for future travel in high school and beyond

Benefits of�Educational Travel

Expanded worldview

• Understanding and appreciation of different cultures

Personal growth

• Increased confidence and competence
• Language and cultural immersion

Life skills

• Demonstrates maturity and worldliness
• Enhances college and job applications

Travel impact by the numbers…

Who we’re traveling with

Proven experience

• 50 years in student travel
• More than 1 million travelers
• Tours to 75 countries on all 7 continents

Excellent value

• Fully inclusive
• Quality hotels, meals & activities

Why Explorica?

Incredible tour directors

• Professionally trained
• Specialized in student travel
• Local experts bring the destination to life
• With group 24/7

Exceptional safety record

• Proven systems in place at all levels of operations
• Worldwide network of support
• Unmatched in industry

By your side, always

Daily tour updates

Global vigilance

Network of 45+ offices around the world

Comprehensive liability coverage

Trusted travel protection plans

Upgraded plans available

Proactive risk management

Expertly trained, multilingual tour directors

24/7 emergency support

Where we’re going

• May 30 ‐ June 2, 2025
• Length: 4 Days

Experience the beauty of Washington DC’s monuments and buildings as they light up the night sky during your evening tour of the city, then delve into history with a visit to Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Museums, and Arlington National Cemetery.

Washington, DC

Next up

Our itinerary day by day 🡪

And why…

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1 | Hello Washington

• Meet your tour director
• Dinner
• Washington, D.C. evening guided sightseeing tour

World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Memorial, National Mall, Tidal Basin, Washington Monument, White House picture stop�

DAY 2 | Washington, D.C. landmarks

• Breakfast
• U.S. Capitol guided tour
• Supreme Court visit
• Library of Congress visit
• Lunch
• Holocaust Museum visit
• Dinner
• Shear Madness�

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LINCOLN MEMORIAL

WASHINGTON D.C.

Tour Itinerary

DAY 3 | Start extension in Washington, D.C.

• Breakfast
• Arlington National Cemetery & Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima)
• visit
• National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial visit
• United States Air Force Memorial
• Lunch
• Mount Vernon excursion
• Dinner
• Evening ghost tour

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DAY 4 | End Tour

• Breakfast
• Smithsonian Museums visit: Options include National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History, National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian American Art Museum
• Lunch
• Travel home�

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMENTARY

WASHINGTON D.C

What’s included

Round-trip transportation

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Full breakfast and lunch daily (except day 1)

Hearty, authentic dinner daily (except day 4)

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Entrance fees to attractions per itinerary

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Guided sightseeing tours and city walks per itinerary

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Full-time, professional tour director including all tips and gratuities

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Online Tour DiaryTM, so you can follow our journey from home

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24-hour emergency service

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Accommodation in triple or quad rooms

Almost everything!

Your responsibilities

Travel Protection Plan

Travel Protection Plan PLUS

Educational travel is an investment in your child’s future. We recommend you protect that investment with our Travel Protection Plan, which covers you for the following events:

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• A traveler’s injury, sickness, or death of a�family member
• Theft of passport or visas
• Flight cancellations due to strike or bad weather
• Loss of luggage and personal effects
• Trip cancellation or trip interruption due to covered reasons such as a covered sickness, illness, or injury
• Trip cancellation or trip interruption due to terrorist acts, as defined

Along with providing you the same benefits as the Travel Protection Plan, our Travel Protection Plan Plus also includes the Cancel For Any Reason Benefit:

• If you cancel 48 hours (2 days) or more before your scheduled trip departure date for any reason not otherwise covered by this policy, we reimburse you for 75% of the non-refundable cancellation fees which apply to your trip

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Cost of plan is due in full at the time it is selected. �This plan must be selected before your final trip payment.

Cost of plan is due in full at the time it is selected. �This plan must be selected within 14 days of trip enrollment.

Learn more at

Optional travel protection

Easy ways to pay

Pay in full at enrollment

Entire trip paid upon registration

No remaining balance

Payment rendered manually

Automatic monthly�payment plan

$50 deposit paid upon registration

Balance divided into equal monthly installments

Payments charged automatically

Manual payment plan

$99 deposit paid upon registration

Balance divided into 2 installments. The first installment of $150 due 30 days after enrollment & Full balance is due 95 days prior to departure

Payments rendered manually

Making it possible for every student to travel

Any plan can be paid with Visa, MasterCard (credit and debit), checks, electronic checking account payments, online banking and money orders. Payments can be made online, over the telephone or by mail.

Academic Credit

• All students in grades 6-12 at the time of travel have the opportunity to enroll in online coursework that is carefully paired with their travel program. Most assignments are designed to be completed after travel, since they ask students to incorporate much of what they learned during the field experience.
• Email academiccredit@explorica.com for more info.

High school credit

• Courses vary in theme, content, and length based on the travel destination. Students work at their own pace to complete the work within six months of their travel program return date.

How this differs from a family trip

Easy ways to pay

Fundraising support

• Personal fundraising page on explorica.com
• Easily request and accept credit card donations from friends and family

Making it possible for every student to travel

Give your child

• Explore exciting destinations
• Create lifelong memories and new friends
• Grow and mature as a person
• Prepare for a successful future
• Enjoy independence and new experiences

You’re in the position to encourage your child to:

the world

Big questions: Chaperones

(can parents go?)

• This is a CLASS trip.
• Chaperones will be supplied by the school and will be current staff members of the middle school. They are responsible for any fees and expenses of their trip
• Only taking the required chaperones allows the adults to focus on the needs of the kids
• At this time, there is no need for additional chaperones.
• Please trust the school and allow your child this chance at independence
• If parents insist on going and not sending their child without a parent attending, it could cost ALL of the students to lose this opportunity
• If not now? When? I know this is scary (FOR US) and new, but they CAN do it without us :)

Again, we want to make sure almost ALL expenses are paid up front!�

$1,125.00 (includes $48 early bird discount)

• Only $50 to sign up
• Monthly payment will be $97.73 (for 11 months)
• I recommend insurance, but it does increase the cost and can vary based on anything that is customized (i.e. 2 person room vs. quad room)
• Basic insurance = Approx. $79
• Premium insurance = Approx $179
• Prices will update when you enroll if adding on or customizing your trip

The real question:

How much does it Cost?

Sample Tour Center

• We will do our best to provide fundraisers for your child to offset some of the cost of the trip.

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• Plan for 1 - 2 fundraisers

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• We are open to ideas for fundraisers, please email me: mcnitth@hpsmi.org�
• There is also a fundraising page that can be posted to social media for donations toward the trip.

Fundraisers:

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Sample Tour Center

When it is time to sign up:

The next FEW slides are only AFTER we have at least 124 students show interest to attend the trip using the google form. The final 2 slides are to get signed up through Explorica/World Strides

PLEASE FILL OUT THE INTEREST SURVEY

You can enroll your child through any of the following methods:�

• Online at www.explorica.com/McNitt-2025 �(most popular!)�
• By phone at 1-888-310-7121

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• By mail when you complete the paper application and send it to:

Explorica by WorldStrides

218 W. Water Street, Suite 400

Charlottesville, VA 22902

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How to enroll

Sample Tour Center

Enroll online at:

www.explorica.com/McNitt-2025

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Questions? Please contact:

Program Leader: Heather McNitt

Email: mcnitth@hpsmi.org

Thanks for joining us!

We look forward to traveling with you!