EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURES
As CYSP scholars participate in educational adventures, they are exposed to communities and situations that raise their social and cultural awareness. Scholars collaborate with one another to organize and actualize their experiences.
Elements of Educational Adventure may include:
• Overnight Activities
• Trips & Camps
• Cultural Exposure
• College & University Visits
Overnight Activities
Overnight activities’ main aim is to strengthen relationships, have fun, and learn skills in a setting outside of the classroom and school. Overnight activities are planned to encompass as many different of the CYSP activities, ranging from individual test practice, to community service to extra curricular activities.
Scholars in the program will participate in overnight and sleepover activities. The location of the events will vary. School lock-in events will also occur throughout the year so students can earn CYSP overnight activity requirement. Advisers will provide permission slips to parents for overnight events with specific event details. Advisers/school staff members should be present with the scholar in order for the activity to count as an overnight activity. Only school-organized events will count as overnight activities. All other activities completed during overnight activities and camps (such as test prep, tutoring and physical fitness) can be logged in separately. One activity cannot be written twice under two different categories.
Examples:
- School lock-in events (at least with 2 supervisors)
- Out of town camping trips sponsored by school
- Focus study group overnight activities
- Out of town college trips
- Out of state school events, (e.g., MATHCON, CONSEF)
- All overnight activities must implement an educational component.
Logbook Entry:
- Advisers will accompany students during these events and they will record all overnight activity events in logbook. Overnight events may vary with the chaperone/adviser ratio.
- Advisers or scholars can enter overnight activity information in CYSP logbooks as “Camp”, “Lock-in”, “College Trip (Out of Town)”, “Out of town trip” or “Overnight Activity”.
- If out of town trip is two days or more, it will count as overnight through the system. Advisers or scholars just need to enter the number of trip days in CYSP logbooks as “Out of town trip” or “College Trip (Out of Town)”.
Cultural Exposure
With the world becoming a smaller place to live due to rapid progress and growth of globalization,Cultural Exposure activities are one of our guiding principles in exposing students to new cultures. The main reason behind this is to ensure that our students learn how to function as global citizens.
In Cultural Exposure , individuals from different cultures, religions and ethics can work together, respect each other, become familiar with each other’s traditions, regardless of whether s/he is a minority or not. Cultural Exposure activities provide some fundamental principles to the students to overcome problems in these situations.
CYSP students are expected to participate in activities that expose them to different cultures. Students can attend cultural events or visit different cultural centers.
This category is mandatory for most students and optional for 5-6 graders and seniors. The point value allocated to this category is 10 points. The maximum intercultural activity entries allowed for each student are up to 10 times throughout the school year. This applies to all who participate in this activity.
Examples:
- Attending cultural festivals
- Visiting Chinatown, Greektown, Chinese, Italian cultural centers/museums etc..
- Hispanic Heritage Celebration, Amish culture, African American culture, Native American culture.
- Visiting cultural centers
- International programs which are organized by school, community, society
- Attending a cultural event hosted by the school
- Visiting museums which reflect different cultural backgrounds
- Advisors can create a program to expose scholars to a different culture.
The entry to Log:
Scholars enter their intercultural activities information in their Concept SIS student account under “Cultural Exposure”.
* This item may be completed virtual or in person based on school decision.
Out of Town Trip
Scholars will participate in educational trips that are out of town with the school. The School or individual advisors may organize out of town trips. Advisors or any staff member must supervise the trip. Permission slips will be sent home with information about the trip.
Examples:
- Out of state or out of town day trips.
- Out town trips to museums
- Out town trips to symposiums, events, speakers etc.
- Out of town landmarks and historical sites.
- Out of town subject related competitions
Logbook Entry:
- Scholars will enter out of town trip information in CYSP logbooks as “Out of town Trip”.
- If the trip is an out of town college visit, it will count as both college visit and out of town trip through the system. Advisers just need to enter this information in CYSP logbook as “College Trip (Out of Town)”.
In Town Trip
In town trips serve the purpose of allowing students to explore their localities, and see what services their home towns/cities have on offer. This activity allows students to build relationships with local businesses as well as local people.
Field trips are educational experiences that allow students to apply their lessons to the real world. These trips tend to be the most memorable moments of a student’s career.
The in-town trip is designed to give students a better understanding of their communities and show them different aspects and qualities of their cities. Students will be transported to and for via a bus or another form of public transportation. Students in grades 5 to 6 will need to make an in town trip with their adviser. Advisers will arrange these after school trips and provide permission slips to parents. In town trips should be school-related/organized activities.
Examples:
Visit museums or famous landmarks in town
Logbook Entry:
Advisers or scholars will enter in-town trip information in CYSP logbooks as “In-Town Trip”.
College & University Visits
A planned Collegevisit allows prospective students to take campus tours to learn about the college or university’s facilities, as well as student life, culture on campus, academics, and programs offered by the institution.
College visits allow students to ask questions, meet other prospective students and understand college on a deeper level. Students get a sense of the college’s vibrancy, character, and facilities. Visits will provide them with a more complete picture.
College visits organized by the school are the only trips that will count for this category.
This category is mandatory for high school students and optional for the younger grades. Please keep in mind that this activity is very important in terms of it’s point value and this will really help gold and silver students reach their goal at the end of the year.
The point value allocated to this category is 12 points. The maximum college trip entries allowed for each student are up to 5 times throughout the school year. This applies to all who participate in this activity.
Examples:
- Visit a local college or university with your school trip.
- Visit a college or university with the CYSP group and advisor.
The entry to Log:
Scholars enter their college trip information in their Concept SIS student account under “College & University Visits”.
* This item can be completed virtual or in person based on school decision.