A teacher and a staffer go to Washington...
In 1985, a Connecticut educator saw an opportunity to make the world her classroom. With the help of a congressional staff member, she arranged a trip for her students to visit the nation’s capital to attend the second Presidential Inauguration of Ronald Reagan.
The kids embraced Washington, D.C.—they met members of Congress, saw the monuments, and experienced democracy in action. The excursion was deemed a huge success; however, the teacher and the staffer soon realized that this was no ordinary field trip. The opportunity to learn through experience had a profound effect on these high school students. They not only discovered a new and deeper relationship with the world around them, but they also began to realize that they were capable of achieving so much more than they previously imagined. They realized the true power of their potential.
In the 40 years since, we have grown from a teacher with an idea to a company that provides nearly 20 different career, leadership, and technology programs that take place in cities across the United States and the world. In July 2018, we became part of the WorldStrides family. The largest provider of educational travel and experiences in the United States, WorldStrides works with over 50,000 educators each year to help more than 550,000 students see the world—and themselves—in new ways. The organization's full suite of programs are tuned to learners at all stages from elementary through post-graduate levels, and feature specializations like performing arts, sports, career exploration, and study abroad.
While much has changed since our inception, our mission remains focused on giving high-aspiring students in elementary school through college the unique opportunity to turn their career and life aspirations into reality.
Our programs are developed by educators and subject-matter professionals. Using innovative tools and techniques, our activities mirror real-world challenges and facilitate critical thinking and communication among the groups. Our advisors are trained teachers and subject-matter experts who love making a real impact—so much so that they come back year after year. To date, over 1 million exceptional students have benefited from the transformational experiences our programs provide.
Our programs are innovative, safe, fun, empowering, and enable students to:
- Discover their passion
- Explore a career
- Make a difference
- Realize their dreams
Whether you are a nominated student, a student looking to apply, a parent, or a teacher considering nominating, we encourage you to explore our programs and see how we help students envision their future.
VIEW ENVISION BY WORLDSTRIDES PROGRAMS