Launch of our Crowdfunding Campaign!
Do you remember what it was like to go on a field trip? I know how excited I used to get when our teachers would tell us we would be leaving the school for a day — I mean who likes sitting in a classroom anyway? But it wasn’t just getting out of the classroom that excited me — it was the chance to see the topics we were learning about come to life. I remember going to the Iowa State capitol, for example, and meeting with groups lobbying for specific causes. I knew then that I wanted to help these groups have a voice and fulfill their missions, and this experience played an important role in shaping my aspirations and my future.
But don’t just take my first-hand experience as evidence for why field trips are important. Research has shown that when students leave the classroom, they have a more meaningful learning experience. Fields trips are remembered long after a course or visit ends; they can influence a career choice, and also help students become more engaged and positive about particular topics, and about learning in general.
So with all this research and countless number of testimonials, why are field trips on the brink extinction? It’s because of increasingly limited time and resources. Teachers have bigger classrooms than ever before and are expected to have their students meet certain standards. Planning and organizing field trips takes a lot of time and energy that teachers just don’t have available anymore. Add in the cost of transportation, admissions and other expenses, and some times it is not possible to make field trips a reality, at the expense of the students involved.
At BAGT we are trying to keep these field trips alive by helping schools write grants and secure the necessary funding. But all of this is very time consuming. Recently we have been exploring more effective ways to expand our programming. One of the solutions we are committed to utilizing is crowdfunding — as a way to utilize our network and yours to build a solid foundation for our educational tours.
In the next couple of days we will launch the first of a series of crowdfunding campaigns on Fundly.com which will help BAGT to reach another level! Please be on the look out for another email about this soon!
Because you are a supporter of BAGT, I wanted for you to hear about this campaign before we launch it for the public — so that you have the chance to be one of the first to get involved. For us to be successful we need all the help we can get. Whether it’s spreading the word, asking for donations, writing blog posts, offering a testimonial, volunteering or whatever — if you want to help with this effort or have any questions, please email me at aaron@bayareagreentours.org or Marissa at marissa@bayareagreentours.org.
This is an exciting opportunity to reach our goal and beyond. Let’s make this campaign a success so that we can KEEP FIELD TRIPS ALIVE!
Aaron Lander, BAGT Crowdfunding Manager & Tour Guide