"Thank you for giving my students a tremendous experience. Your company does a wonderful job of giving students the opportunity to see our nation's capital and to keep a hope alive in them of what has made this country great. Even though they are aware of the current state of our nation's domestic and foreign affairs, the light, pride, and happiness they showed while seeing some of the sites and of some many other groups with your company, gives me a hope of our nation's future.Once again, "thank you" and I will be seeing you in the future."
"I've always told our parents what a value this trip that
World Strides provides, but I am even more impressed after
this week-end! Soemtimes we get caught up in just looking
at the bottom dollar, not the VALUE."
"We went on
the trip last week, had the most wonderful time and arrived
safely home. Our tour guide was a guardian angel to say the
least. Thank you. We have plans to return next year."
“WOW!!!!!! I cannot express what a GREAT, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL
experience our group had in Washington, D.C.!!!! Chet, our tour
guide, is remarkable and we wanted to bring him home to teach
history in our school! He was COOL and SUPER and we wanted to
stay longer! Ron was a great driver and full of little bits
of knowledge, too, that added to our enjoyment! I want to come
back every February!!!!
Y’all
are the greatest and I cannot thank you and all of your staff
at WorldStrides for a great experience!!!!!”
"On March 15-March 20, 2003,
I had the wonderful pleasure of taking 58 sixth graders, 19
of their parents, and 3 adult chaperones to the Washington,
D.C. area. Up until the time we left Lubbock, we were all a
little nervous about traveling out of our city in these unsettled
times. We were in D.C. when President Bush issued Saddam Hussein
the 48 hours ultimatum. Were in D.C. at the end of the 48 hours
when the bombing began in Iraq. We all felt so safe traveling
with WorldStrides. Their “Safety 1st” policy is
alive and well! We were able to tour all the memorials and monuments,
the Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, Holocaust Museum,
Mt. Vernon, Smithsonian Museums, National Zoo, National Cathedral,
Monticello, Colonial Williamsburg, and other places in the area.
Our group didn’t miss a beat! We had our best trip ever!
If I had the opportunity to take my group of 80 to D.C. today,
I would not hesitate – that is, as long as I was traveling
with WorldStrides. Their standards are high, safety is 1st and
WorldStrides provided memories of a lifetime for my parents
and students!"
"I'd like to
thank the entire WS staff for going above and beyond to take
care of my group while we were snowed in the weekend on 2/16.
Dick Worron was on top of all details needed to accommodate
us for an extra 3 days, constantly working with Tour Central
and our hotel, and keeping me informed as the plans changed
and then changed again. Drivers Abe Debose and Dave Patton
were so flexible and went out of their way to ensure our kids
safety and yet also get all the education they had paid for.
From our experience this past weekend, I have so many more
specific reasons to give parents, administrators, and board
members when they question why I have chosen to use WS every
year since 1981! Your "team" is the greatest!
One more anecdote to share: Since our stay was extended, we
did have a girl who was diabetic and needed more needles for
insulin shots. On Monday, 2/17, no pharmacies were open due
to the snow emergency in MD. A maintenance man at the hotel
volunteered to drive his own 4 wheel drive vehicle to a hospital
so that a chaperone with him could pick up more needles for
the child. I didn't get his name, but he certainly is representative
of the caring, high quality people who work with and for your
company. Kudos to you all!"
This past weekend (Feb. 14-18)
I took my group of 65 8th graders for our annual trip to Washington,
DC. I wondered if we would find an increased sense of fear
or urgency in the people we met there, or in my students and
chaperones. The answer is definitely a resounding "No"!!
Thousands of people continue to go to work, school, shopping,
sightseeing, and having fun in a vibrant city. The only difference
I've seen is that the security people at the airports are
more numerous and in different uniforms. Lines through security
checks at the airport and at government buildings and museums
move very quickly. There were no signs of armored trucks,
soldiers with weapons, or helicopters flying overhead in case
of attack. Everyone we met--bus drivers, hotel and restaurant
workers, guides in museums--continue in their daily tasks
without a sense of fear or impending doom. DC is not a city
in a war zone! Rather, it is a healthy metro area which is
going about "business as usual," only with a bit
more caution than a few years ago. All of our favorite sights
were open and available to the public. We had a great time,
never once fearing for our safety, or regretting the decision
to come!
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