Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

22 Jun, 2014

How Summer Vacation Travel Boosts Student Success

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 18, 2014 – In the face of education inequality and spending cuts, students are opting for outside-the-classroom experiences during summer vacation that yield long-term educational and career benefits. This summer, a record number of over 600 US high school students will boost their grades and increase their chances of college admission through a travel/study abroad program established by nonprofit Global Glimpse.

“Among our alumni, 100% graduated from high school, 97% reported increased academic engagement and improved grades after the program, and 96% are accepted to and enroll in college,” says Eliza Pesuit, Executive Director. Independent research shows that summer learning opportunities such as Global Glimpse’s educational travel program significantly impact academic success and even lead to higher income on the job. The impact is most striking on lower-income youth with high dropout rates, as nearly two-thirds of the achievement gap can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities.

Empowering students of all socioeconomic levels, the 2014 group of Global Glimpse students come from 45 diverse public high schools across the Bay Area and New York City. Over 50% of these students are low-income while 50% come from middle- and upper-income schools. Global Glimpse students represent the socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity of the United States. Despite their disparate backgrounds, they are united by a commitment to work together to better the future of our world.

Global Glimpse sends high school juniors to Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic for powerful leadership development, global education, and service learning experiences. “Challenged and inspired, our students ultimately gain an invaluable perspective on the importance of education, on their privilege as US citizens, and most profoundly, on their ability and responsibility to affect change in the world,” says Pesuit. This month, they begin their work as global citizens; follow their journeys to see what they’re discovering daily.

Global Glimpse is a movement of hundreds of passionate and determined problem solvers collaborating across borders to bring life-changing education abroad to high school students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. We are committed to building a new generation of diverse young leaders who are equipped and inspired to tackle the social, political, and economic challenges of their generation. Since 2008, Global Glimpse has served over 1,500 students and 150 teachers.