With the downturn the in economy travel is one of the first luxuries that have been taken off the must do list. Some families aren’t travelling at all while some are looking for cheaper alternatives than taking the family to Disney World. Families aren’t the only one’s looking for a discount, school boards are struggling and as a result they are employing cutbacks. Field trips are one of the first luxuries that are being cut out.
Directly affected by these budget constraints are the US National Parks. To curb this problem the Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced that on November 3rd, 2009 millions of students across the country will visit the park, and they will do so without actually leaving the classroom. This interactive program will be delivered to students via satellite feed. The goal of this initiative was to give students a chance to see the “wonders of this great national treasure without the expense of travel.”
This new Electronic Field Trip Program is an interesting way to ensure children are learning and expanding their knowledge base without the cumbersome expenses or legalities of a field trip. Since this program is a first of its kind, it seems that it could give rise to many other similar programs as a way to fund the travel gap in times such as these. Tough times have led Great Smoky Mountains National Park to think outside the box, and it might give way to many more of its kind.
For more information on this new initiative go to http://www.smokymountainseft.org/
For some great footage of this spectacular park check out this video.
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