This Thanksgiving, travel to New York City and Philadelphia and experience two culturally rich cities which hold much of our nation’s history. For six days and five nights, your group will explore the sights, culture, arts, and history of New York City. Walk in the footsteps of millions of American immigrants while visiting Ellis Island and taking the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Immerse yourselves in New York’s diverse neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Harlem, and Little Italy. Learn about the nation’s powerful role in global commerce on Wall Street and experience the excitement of a Broadway show in Times Square. Then travel by train to Philadelphia for two days and two nights, seeing first-hand the birthplace of our nation’s independence. Explore a treasure trove of American history in Philadelphia, the city where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were created. Students will return from this project with a deeper understanding of United States history, heritage, arts, and culture, and will present a reflection piece to the community that exhibits their personal experience. Reflection pieces will be due 30 days after the completion of the project.

Some highlights of this project may include:

~ Thanksgiving Macy’s Day Parade						~ United Nations Headquarters
~ Times Square						~ Empire State Building
~ 5th Avenue						~ NBC Studio Tour
~ China Town						~ Broadway Show
~ FAO Schwartz						~ American Museum of Natural History
~ Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty						~ Central Park
~ Ground Zero/Freedom Tower						~ NYC Museums of Art
~ Ice Skating in Rockefeller Center						~ Liberty Bell Center
~ St. Paul’s Chapel						~ Franklin Institute Science Museum
~ Tiffany and Co.						~ Independence Hall

The registration deadline is Monday, September 26, 2011. In addition to this registration form, students must also submit a 50% deposit, to be applied to the total trip cost. Once the student has been selected for the project, this deposit becomes non-refundable should the student decide to withdraw his or her application. The remaining balance will be due by October 15th, 2011.

Click here to download the registration form.

The total cost of the project, per student, is $2,700. Airfare, lodging, all meals, all admission fees and excursion costs, travel insurance, and ground transportation are included in the cost of the project. Participants should provide their own spending money for snacks and souvenir shopping.

Faculty Leads: Peter Bergen and Lindsay Bergen

For information contact Brook Masters, Director of Experiential Education, at extension 121 or via email at bmasters@besanthill.org