New Orleans Trip 2012 (Upper School)

nola one

NEW ORLEANS – SUMMER 2012

New Orleans Trip Photo Gallery

Leaders:
Stacie Cone: (206) 676-6828 or scone@seattleacademy.org
Melinda Mueller: (206) 676-6838 or mmueller@seattleacademy.org

Information Meeting:
November 2, 7:30 PM
CUB Building

Trip Purpose:  Provide a rich and rewarding service learning experience. Students live and work as a group, help rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina, learn about and work on wetland preservation, and experience a region with socio-economic factors different than the Pacific Northwest. Volunteer work is balanced with several days of tourism and recreation.

Itinerary: This trip is 16 days from June 16 to July 1, 2012.

  • Saturday June 16: travel day
  • Sunday June 17: tour of areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina
  • Monday June 18 – Friday June 22: Rebuilding homes with the St. Bernard Project
  • Saturday June 23: Bicycle tour of Lower Ninth Ward and French Quarter
  • Sunday June 24: pack up and drive to Chauvin, LA
  • Monday June 25- Thursday June 28: help restore wetlands and participate in community volunteer projects in Lafourche Parish, LA
  • Friday June 29: day of lab and/or field work at LUMCON (Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium)
  • Saturday June 30: swamp tour
  • Sunday July 1: fly home

Cost: $1850. The trip cost includes airfare, transportation, food, and lodging. Students may bring spending money (pre-paid debit card recommended).

Financial Aid: It is the school’s goal that every SAAS student should have the option of participating on at least one SAAS trip over the course of their school career. To the best of the school’s abilities, the school will assist families in need to reach this goal. The school has a financial aid budget to help families in need meet the direct costs of trips, as well as the Community Chest fund for incidentals expenses.

The process for applying for trip financial aid is as follows:

  • students should sign up for a trip as instructed by the trip leader;
  • they should notify the trip leader of their intent to seek financial aid;
  • if the student’s family cannot afford the deposit check, they should inform

the trip leader that this is the case;

  • The student should seek a Trip Financial Aid Form found on the web site or from Halsey Bell, hbell@seattleacademy.org.

Trip Financial Aid Forms must be submitted to Halsey Bell by Friday, November 10.

Sign-Up: October 27 – November 10, 2012. This trip is open to all upper school students in good behavioral standing at school. If more students sign up than spaces available, we will hold a lottery, though we will seek some gender balance while keeping in mind the priority for upper classmen.  If there are still open spaces after November 10, then we will accept applicants in the order in which they submit their deposit.  Deposits are nonrefundable after Friday December 6.

**To sign up please submit a $500 deposit payable to Seattle Academy, or a copy of your financial aid application, to Stacie Cone.**

NOTE: A minimum of 10 students must sign up for the trip and pay a deposit by December 3 to ensure the trip is feasible.

Payment Schedule:
$500 deposit due by November 10
Payment of $500 due by February 1
Payment of additional $500 due by April
Payment of remaining $350 due by June 1
(Families who wish may pay the entire fee prior to June 1)

Refund Policy: Students have until November 23 to receive a full refund.

Physical Requirements: Moderate.  We will be doing physical work both indoors and out in hot and humid weather. Work days are from 9 AM to 3 PM and include a lunch break. Students can work at a pace and/or task that is comfortable for them. Students will be assigned a variety of tasks such as helping install exterior doors and windows, hanging sheetrock or drywall, taping sheetrock joints, applying mud and spackle, put down flooring, installing interior doors, installing trim and cabinets, interior or exterior painting and landscaping. Outdoor work includes planting, digging, pushing wheelbarrows and general landscape related activities.

Gear:  A gear list will be supplied to all participants prior to the trip. It will include basic supplies such as work gloves and sturdy shoes. Tools will be supplied on the work site.

Service Credit: Students receive 80 hours of service credit at the completion of this trip.

Behavior and Expectations: To ensure the highest level of safety for the group, all students will sign a contract indicating they accept the rules and expectations for behavior on the trip. Any student who violates this contract may be asked to fly home at his or her expense. Students will work in construction areas around heavy tools and equipment and are expected to follow safety guidelines. All students are required to have a parent or guardian sign a permission forms for partner organizations prior to the trip.

RISKS INVOLVED WITH THIS TRIP: New Orleans is an urban city with big-city risks. Students and their families are encouraged to have a serious discussion prior to registering for the trip to review the student contract, and ensure they are committed to the spirit of a service trip. Students will be using various power tools on a construction site. Despite following safety procedures, risk is associated with power tools such as drills, saws, and nail guns. Students may work independently with St. Bernard Project and AmeriCorps volunteers.

nola two