Today, at the Olentangy Education Foundation retreat, we reviewed our mission and accomplishments over the last year. At this annual event, we also discussed the recent unfortunate developments regarding the Olentangy Orange Middle School 8th Grade Washington DC trip.
As a board, we shared our own memories traveling to DC when we were kids, our children’s experiences when they traveled to DC as eighth graders and the value of this educational adventure to these young people. We heard stories of anguish and concern from friends with families impacted by the last-minute change and we heard stories about district administrators that worked tirelessly in a very short time-period to secure the right partners to get the trip re-worked, including funding. At this time we commend Prodigy Student Travel, Orange Middle School Teachers Scholarship Fund and the 2018 Senior Class from Orange High School for leading the charge and contributing to the bottom line.
Since the DC trip taken by 8th graders around our district and around the country aligns with our mission to enhance the educational experience offered through Olentangy Local School District, we are pleased to announce that the Olentangy Education Foundation voted to support the 8th Grade Orange Middle School students with a $5,000 donation. We encourage other organizations around the district to support the efforts and contribute to the trip, which is a “right of passage” learning experience to our nation’s capitol.