Litchfield Elementary School District eighth-graders will have the opportunity to travel to California in spring 2027 for a three-day trip combining visits to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure with educational programs and a stop at the Museum of Tolerance.
The Litchfield Elementary School District governing board approved the out-of-state, overnight trip Sept. 22 as part of its consent agenda. No items were removed from consent, and the agenda was approved unanimously.
Approximately 1,326 eighth-grade students across the district's middle school campuses are eligible for the trip, according to district documents.
This will be the fourth year Litchfield students have been offered the experience.
The trip will be coordinated with Project Exploration and includes stops in Los Angeles and Anaheim.
Students will leave their school sites early on the first day and stop for lunch at the Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles before visiting the Museum of Tolerance's Holocaust exhibit. The day will conclude with dinner and a show at Medieval Times before students check into their hotel.
District officials tied the Museum of Tolerance visit to Arizona eighth-grade history and social science standards.
According to the district, students will examine primary-source artifacts, watch witness video testimonies and participate in guided reflection related to the Holocaust, civil rights, human rights, prejudice and ethical decision-making.
Disneyland includes educational workshop
Days two and three will include Disneyland and Disney California Adventure as well as a Disney Youth Education Workshop.
The workshop is to address leadership, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills as well as expose students to career opportunities in creative and technical industries.
District documents say the program aligns with Arizona English language arts speaking and listening standards as well as leadership and career-readiness competencies.
Students will depart California around midnight on the final night and return home the following morning.
Trip will cost students $685
The trip will cost $685 per student, while a parent or guardian attending as a chaperone will pay $645.
Staff chaperones will attend at no charge based on the number required to maintain student-to-staff ratios.
Student fees are eligible for Arizona tax-credit funding, according to the district. Chaperone costs are not.
The district plans to make scholarships available for families needing financial assistance. A districtwide panel will evaluate scholarship requests, with assistance funded through tax-credit contributions, donations and fundraising.
District officials described the trip in board documents as both an academic experience and a milestone marking the completion of middle school.
The program is also intended to support the district's Growing Graduates initiative through academic workshops and career exploration while giving students an opportunity to build relationships with peers and staff.
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Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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