What is my role as a Smithsonian Student Travel Group Leader?
You've got an exciting role ahead! You're in charge of selecting an educational tour, recruiting a student travel group and working with your tour consultant to plan the details of your trip. While it is not mandatory, we also recommend that you get school board approval for your trip.
How do I select a tour?
Start by using our
Find a Tour feature to view itineraries for your desired destination and interests. Then you can either call us at
1.800.503.2323 or submit your class trip interests online.
Why should I plan early?
By planning early, your students can spread out their payments over a longer time period. This can also give them more time to raise money for their tour. Additionally, when you enroll early we can also begin booking earlier for your tour.
What fundraising ideas do you have?
We offer a complete booklet on fundraising ideas. It is conveniently included as part of your
Smithsonian Student Travel Recruitment Kit. Call us at
1-800-503-2323 for your copy. In the meantime, here are some tips for raising funds:
- Consider other fundraisers going on in your community. Don't compete with groups that have regular fundraisers, like the Girl Scouts who sell cookies every year.
- Make sure you've got the time. Try not to plan a fundraiser where there's a big family event on the horizon that requires a lot of planning of its own – a wedding for example.
- Decide how much time and what resources you're going to dedicate. Consider the scope of the project and its goals.
- Evaluate our list of fundraising suggestions in the booklet and consider which ones are suitable for your goals.
- Create a fundraising contract and have each student sign it. Doing so keeps your students and parents on the same page from the beginning. For more ideas, click here.