Why do teachers choose Smithsonian Student Travel?
Though retired, Bill C. was happy to share his thoughts on educational travel with the us. He taught history and English in Colorado for 19 years.
Bill's students at the Iwo Jima Memorial. courtsey photo
Why did you start traveling?
I’ve always loved to travel and I’m a history nut. I taught middle school and when I started teaching history courses in addition to English, it seemed like the perfect time to start traveling with my students. A friend of mine had been traveling with another company and suggested I try them.
How did you decide to travel with Smithsonian Student Travel?
I knew I wanted to travel with my students again, but I wanted to try a tour company that offered a tour director who would stay with us for the whole trip. On that first trip with the other tour company, our tour director met us at the bus in the mornings and then left us at the end of the day.
I found out that the student travel industry is a highly competitive market and I was getting calls from a lot of companies. The tour consultant with Smithsonian Student Travel convinced me to give their tours a try. I remember, I told her, “I’ll give you a chance, but you’d better make me happy.” She did.
What kept you traveling with Smithsonian Student Travel?
Well, I know you all can’t walk on water, but you do everything in your power to make the trip great.
Plus it’s good to have your Smithsonian Student Travel Tour Director with your group all day from start to finish.
I’ve heard you have a tradition with your travelers after you return from tour. What is it?
During tour I take snapshots of the kids’ adventures—and misadventures. When we get back from tour, I create a slideshow. Then I have the kids and their parents over for a barbeque. We share stories about the trip and I give them all a DVD of the slideshow.
Do you have a favorite memory from tour?
During the evening tour of the Washington, D.C., monuments, we stopped at the Jefferson Memorial right at sunset. The students got off the bus and started running “willy-nilly” through the trees around the Memorial. It scared me to death, until I realized they were chasing lightning bugs! Lightning bugs are rare where we live. And it goes to show; you can never anticipate everything that will happen on tour.



