iLEAD Exploration learners had the opportunity to participate in a variety of field trips. Here are a few that were enjoyed by our learners and their families.
Queen Mary Ellis Island Experience
This field trip was a re-enactment of the immigrant experience entering the United States through Ellis Island. The trip started with a thoughtfully done video about the journey from Europe to New York and then learners were directed to an “inspection room” where they gently experienced having to submit their passport for approval. Learners had to wait to be “inspected” by a doctor and to answer questions to confirm their mental and physical health. Some learners were quarantined if their responses were questionable. Others were approved and sent to another waiting area to get final approval and had to communicate with an “immigration officer” to verify where they would be living and who would be picking them up from Ellis Island. Following this experiential learning, there was an opportunity to debrief collectively and share reflections. The people leading the experience stayed in character in order to help learners get a sense of what it would have felt like to immigrate through Ellis Island 100 years ago.
The kids learned circus arts and climbed the rock wall. They all had such a blast!
