Senior Trip to Baltimore

Sukainah Hasan

Staff Writer

For the third time in the 14 years that Science Leadership Academy has become a public school, SLA seniors are going on a senior trip to Baltimore. The person behind the planning of this trip is health and gym teacher, Pia Martin.

According to Martin, the choice of the trip being Baltimore was based off asking students if they think going to Baltimore would be a good idea. Some students were all for going on the trip, while others weren’t.
Senior Ashton Reigner is against the senior trip to Baltimore. “I don’t think going to Baltimore will be a fun place to go to,” Ashton started to explain. “Also, I feel as though the price that was required for us to pay wasn’t worth it.” Reigner didn’t think Baltimore was best for himself personally, which is why he is choosing not to go.

Also, senior Sashoya Dougan is all for going on the senior trip to Baltimore. “I think that this senior trip will be great, she started to explain. “This is a change for us seniors to get out of the state and hang out with my friends.” This shows that Sashoya is only worried about the experience she is getting out of it.

Even though students have an opinion on what their trip should be. In the end, it’s not up to students to make the decision.

“Not only did I ask the students about going on a trip, but the main part was getting approved by the School District,” Martin said when asked about the planning. Also, in the process of planning this trip to Baltimore, there weren’t any student organizers, because trip planning is not something students have the responsibility of doing; only the School District has the final say in where everyone can or cannot go. Since SLA is a public high school and it is under the School District, we have no choice but to follow their rules in what students can or cannot do.

In order to go on this trip, seniors have to pay $160.

“Seniors are doing a three-week fundraiser to get the money,” Martin explained. “They are going to selling things like cookies, cakes, pies, etc.” The more money that students fundraise for their senior trip, the more of a chance they and other students have an opportunity of going since it would lessen the amount they’d have to pay.

The trip to Baltimore is only a day. “We were originally going to come back to Philadelphia early in the morning, but according to the school district, we have to be back by 10 pm,” Martin explained.

The activities that seniors will be doing in Baltimore is going on the spirit of Baltimore, the aquarium, and Baltimore Harvard.

Planning trips like this are not easy, but, the point of going to Baltimore is to have fun with your graduating class, and spend the last days you have with your friends!