Many people might be uncomfortable going on in-person field trips this year because of COVID-19 restrictions and other concerns, like the vaccination status of classmates.  In addition, there may be strangers at close proximity to students.  Although these are valid concerns, as long as students are mindful of others and wear a mask, in-person field trips should not be a concern.  In-person field trips are important to students’ understanding of what they are learning, as it allows them to get a hands-on experience of what they are being taught in class.  Many field trips are also outdoors, making mask wearing rules more lenient.  If people are worried about the spread of COVID-19 while at school, field trips are sometimes safer than other situations students and staff encounter throughout the school day.  Things like crowded hallways and students gathering in close proximity without masks are much more of a concern than a class going on a field trip with a small number of students.

 “Field trips help me process what I am learning in school better because of the hands-on experience” said senior Maxwell Mehan.

A hands-on experience for each student is crucial for their understanding of what they are learning in their classes.  Field trips provide not only a better understanding of the class, but also provide a break from all the stress of a normal school day.  The chance to go off campus and learn can help students reset and ease stress.  Even on weekends, most students either have work or stress about studying for a test they will have during the upcoming week, and often, both.  Field trips give students the chance to disconnect from the stress of a normal school day while still learning.  Going on a field trip could also be a chance for students to socialize and bond with their peers, different from how they normally would in a classroom setting. 

“Field trips help me connect more with my classmates,” said freshman Jack Rothenberg.

Classrooms force students to pay attention at all times, unless they are distracted by another student, usually causing them to get in trouble with the teacher.  While it is still important to pay attention during field trips and be respectful, students have more freedom to socialize with their peers than in the classroom.

Parents’ concerns for their children surrounding COVID-19 are normal, especially in school situations.  Many students have not been on a field trip which involves actually going on a bus and leaving campus in almost two years.  Sports have  resumed, which  involve going on a bus for games and meets.  Some sports even go on a bus every day for practice.  These sports teams usually carry about the same number of students as a class would on a bus, requiring masks while traveling.  Students on the bus going to a field trip would follow the same rules as an athlete would while on the bus and at the site of the field trip, as athletes encounter students and staff from other schools during their games and meets.

Keeping these factors in mind, in-person field trips should begin again.  There are already protocols for off-site school activities and there are many clear benefits to these trips.  To fulfill the health and safety concerns, the rules set for student-athletes can be implemented into school field trips, making them not only possible, but necessary for Schreiber this year.