PROVINCETOWN — Nineteen eighth-graders will be heading to London this spring when the local school tradition of sending upper-grade students on an international journey returns for the first time since the pandemic.
For many years, students would spend months raising money for an annual trip to Costa Rica. Provincetown is an International Baccalaureate school, and educational travel is a key component of the globally focused curriculum, said Interim Supt. Gerry Goyette.
One of the students uses an electric wheelchair, and so the staff wanted to select a destination that would be comfortable for that child. Costa Rica and another potential destination, Portugal, did not have adequate accessibility, so London was chosen.
“The teachers will create a curriculum around what we do; this will not be just a vacation,” Goyette said. “It should be really amazing.”
The journey will also involve a lesson in fundraising. The trip will cost about $50,000 overall.
As of a few weeks ago, staff and students had raised a little over half, Goyette said. Donations totaling about $20,000 came in thanks to the efforts of an “outstanding community member who reached out to his network to support our school,” Goyette said. The person did not want to be identified.
Another $12,000 has come from Goyette’s plucky efforts to get American Airlines to honor the credit the school earned when its 2020 trip was canceled.
“They did not make it easy,” Goyette said.
The airline suddenly got on board after Goyette explained the problem with American Airlines to Ben Simmoneau of Boston’s WCVB-TV, who featured the school’s dilemma on his consumer watch program Ben Has Your Back.
Since 55 percent of the students in the Provincetown Schools live in low-income households, according to last year’s state statistics, the families are being asked to help but not necessarily with money.
“We want it to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Goyette. “Families need to get their kids to the events and show up for the fundraisers.”
Students sold painted pumpkins during Halloween and their own holiday ornaments during Holly Folly. There will be a Valentine’s Day art show and auction at the Provincetown Commons. Goyette is hoping to hold a multigenerational talent show in March.
He has also sent the Provincetown Business Guild members a fundraising letter, offering sponsorship opportunities.
