Discovery Charter School’s 8th-grade students have captured the media’s attention with their midnight departure for a week-long excursion to Mexico. This annual tradition of international travel has become a hallmark of the school’s commitment to providing life-changing educational experiences for its students and to develop within students an appreciation for our global world. Discovery is a leading K-8 charter school in Philadelphia, Pa, with a unique program that takes students throughout Pennsylvania, Canada, and overseas to learn firsthand what they have studied in the classroom. Most of Discovery’s students are from the city’s Parkside Neighborhood and nearby areas. Parents and teachers joined the students on camera.
Trip Overview Leads to Media Coverage
Sylvia Marketing & Public Relations conducted interviews with Discovery leadership to gather background information and to survey the overview details needed to craft a powerful press release. After packaging the story into a press release, the agency pitched it along with a school profile to various news outlets. This effort resulted in substantial media coverage, including features on CBS and NBC news. The news coverage showcased the school’s innovative approach to education and highlighted the opportunity students receive from excursions that begin in Kindergarten.
Students, Teachers, and other Staff Head Out
As the 8th grade boarded the bus, cameras were rolling to capture the emotional goodbyes between parent and child and the palpable anticipation. The students will explore the Yucatan and Mayan Riviera, visit ancient ruins like Chichén Itza, and enjoy flamingo watching and swimming in cenotes.
This isn’t the first time Discovery Charter School has embarked on such ambitious learning expeditions. In previous years, students have traveled to Germany, Spain, Italy, and Thailand, broadening their horizons and gaining invaluable cultural experiences. These trips are educational experiences that challenge students to engage with history, language, and diverse cultures firsthand.
The media attention gained by this year’s Mexico trip is particularly significant for the school. Many of the students come from a city zip code where families live below the federal poverty line, making such travel otherwise unattainable. The increased visibility from this publicity is expected to help the school raise substantial funds to offset excursion costs for future students.
As the students embark on their Mexico excursion, they’ll document their experiences in daily journals and prepare to write reflective essays upon their return.
The students were excited. One of the travelers, Samira expressed her eagerness to try authentic Mexican cuisine, while her classmate Jaydah looked forward to making new memories and exploring unfamiliar experiences.
Fred Fields, IT Director for the school, summed up the trip’s significance: “The students are going to visit various pyramids, experience some of the culture and engage in the language, as well as get a chance to enjoy and have some fun.”
As these young explorers set off on their expedition, they carry with them the hopes and dreams of their community. The story of Discovery Charter School leaving at midnight for Mexico is a testament to the power of a holistic teaching and learning environment with the power to change lives positively.
Global Leadership Academy Charter School (GLA) in the Same Area Has a Similar Mission and Academic Program
Sylvia Marketing & Public Relations represents various charter schools throughout the state, including the Global Leadership Academy Charter School, a charter school located in Philadelphia. It offers a solid educational program through global studies and leadership learning. Sylvia Marketing & Public Relations captured more than 40 news coverages for GLA in April when the school sent its students to southern states for a Civil Rights excursion. The school is known for “preparing future leaders of the world” (See “Welcome to Global Leadership Academy” on its website).
Both schools, located just around the corner from each other, provide a solid educational program through talented teachers. A search through the school district Charter Schools Office (CSO) website reveals that no other charter schools offer an expeditionary learning program—an important factor in a city where half the state’s charter schools exist.
More than Test Scores and Data: Charters Offer both Student and Family Opportunities School Districts Don’t
Sylvia Marketing & Public Relations is committed to promoting public charter schools for various reasons beyond a school’s academic success and typical reading, math, and writing test scores and performance data. Charter schools have distinct missions and offer students unique curricula, often considered equivalent to private schools. Charter schools typically operate in safer, smaller learning environments with lower student-teacher ratios. District parents seeking such environments often turn to public charter schools.
For more than 20 years, Sylvia Marketing has served brick-and-mortar and cyber charter schools throughout Pennsylvania. Click here to learn more.