Filling the field trip void

A $4 million donation from Target will enable an estimated 470,000 students to take 5,000 field trips during the 2011 school year, according to the company. The program allows educators to choose their own field trip and use the grant dollars to fund the experience upon completion of an application process. The grants are unrestricted and can be applied to any trip-related expenses, such as transportation costs, admission fees, supplies or resource materials. Applications will be available online Aug. 1 through Oct. 1 with recipients notified in January 2011. Target started the program in 2006 and has donated $9.8 million thus far enabling 1.2 million students to take field trips.

“The Target Field Trip Grants program supports the many benefits of experiential learning outside the classroom,” said Laysha Ward, Target’s president of community relations. “It helps fill a gap created by reduced educational funding and enables teachers to enhance their students’ classroom studies and daily textbook curriculum, while paving a path to graduation.”