Washington

D.C. 2026

See all that you'll see and do with the D.C. digital Discovery Journal.

Save this link to your phone and bring it with you on your trip!

https://my.visme.co/view/epy6jwgr-dc-digital-discovery-journal

There will be a final

Washington D.C. PARENT/STUDENT MEETING on Monday, April 27th in the Big Gym at SEG at 6:30pm.

During the meeting we will be:

1. - distributing and filling out luggage tags, lanyards & drawstring backpack bags.
  - collecting Medical Release & Student Behavior forms.
  - discussing student medical and allergy concerns.
  - discussing the travel itinerary - including departure and arrival times, dates & locations.
  - sharing hotel/bus/airplane rules, dos and don’ts!
  - discussing what to pack, how to pack, and what not to pack.
  - discussing spending money & snacks.
  - distributing Roommate/Bus/Airplane lists.
  - distributing chaperone lists & groups - keeping track of our students.
  - discussing the REMIND App.
  - discussing SILENCE & RESPECT.
  - answering any last minute questions.

This meeting is for both the student and their parents.

FLIGHT ITINERARY: .

.

DEPARTURE on Saturday, May 2nd:

FLIGHT A:

Southwest Air flight # 2561 Midway Airport - MDW at 6:10 am

ARRIVE - Balt/Wash Intl. Airport - BWI at 9:00 am

FLIGHT B:

Southwest Air flight # 3258 Midway Airport - MDW at 8:30 am

ARRIVE - Reagan National Airport - DCA at 11:20 am

RETURN on Tuesday, May 5th:

Southwest Air flight # 1784 Reagan National Airport - DCA at 9:35 pm ARRIVE - CHI Midway Airport - MDW at 10:35 pm

Any questions relating to carry-ons, luggage, travel restrictions, and what to expect when flying with Southwest see the website & TSA links below:

https://www.southwest.com/baggage help/baggage

https://www.southwest.com/the A,B,Cs, of flying-with-southwest/#bags_fly_free

https://www.tsa.gov/travel-tips and-checklist

DEPARTURE TIMES:

Students traveling on Flight A traveling to BWI should assemble in the SEG parking at 3:25 am

on Saturday morning, May 2nd.

We will depart promptly at 3:50 am for Midway airport.

Students traveling on Flight B traveling to DCA should assemble in the SEG parking at 5:45 am.

on Saturday morning, May 2nd.

We will depart promptly at 6:10 am for Midway airport.

ARRIVAL TIMES:

Assuming there are no delays, our returning flight is scheduled to arrive at Midway at 9:50 pm. Parents should plan to meet returning students at approximately 11:35 pm on Tuesday evening May 5th.

Students let you know when we've left the airport. Please be prompt in picking up your child.

.

The buses will pull up and drop students off & unload luggage along Broadway Ave. Please make sure they have room to park & unload.

See Flight Rosters Below

Flight Rosters - Washington DC26

Enclosed below are the details of your travel program, which includes flight/bus, hotel and other helpful trip details.

Please review the following information carefully.

30243-14 EWN S.E. Gross Middle School Program Info Ltr.doc

Students DO NOT need identification at the airport, but it's always recommended to travel with some form of I.D.

- like a SEG Student ID.

Flying Tips & Best Practices.pdf

Students should pack 1 carry-on bag, or backpack, for day traveling and 1 checked bag, or suitcase, for when they get to the hotel in the evening.

Packing List Suggested-pdf.pdf

Suggested packing list.

(This is a very general packing list distributed for all east coast World Strides trips.)

Pack a refillable water bottle and good shoes!

We will be staying at the Westin Washington Dulles Airport in Herndon, Virginia.

Westin Washington Dulles Airport

2520 Wasser Terrace

Herndon, Virginia, 20171

Click above or below for a direct link to the... Westin Washington Dulles Airport

MAP:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Westin+Washington+Dulles+Airport/@38.9556134,-77.4308155,861m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89b64776910794dd:0x16e034c6d55aecd1!8m2!3d38.9556134!4d-77.4282406!16s%2Fg%2F1tgf8nxd?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Washington D.C. 2025 Trip Slide Show

Made up of student & teacher photo submissions. Created by Mrs. Mattucci (mostly) and Mr. Soto.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QxUF-uhASdQd_sZtp-vUwPB6rnyM-eVz/view

DC 2025.mp4

2026 Washington D.C. Trip & Registration Information

You can register for the trip by calling (800)468-5899 or by going to

The World Strides - S.E.Gross Middle School trip website:

https://worldstrides.com/custom/2026-s-e-gross-ms-dc-216452/

Sign up for the trip online using Trip ID: 222689

For more important information about the trip please click on the parent presentation link below. It includes information on everything from signing up, educational goals & travel logistics to medical, safety & security measures.

WorldStrides’ Parent Presentation or go to the direct link options for the PARENT PRESENTATION below. https://vimeo.com/669248312/c52fd8b642

Contact World Strides Customer Service online or at 1-800-468-5899, or contact me at (708) 588-8843 or ssoto@district95.org for any questions.

2026 Trip Financial Resources for Families:

WorldStrides FLAG Financial Assistance

Parent calls Customer Service at 1-800-468-5899 and returns verification paperwork within 30 days.

Eligibility: families earning up to $85,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) are eligible.

Selection process: none; completely based on income.

Award amount: depends on cost of program, but anywhere from $50-$400.

Requirements: Parent must return a brief application to verify eligibility (Customer Service will send it to them after their phone call)

Funds are first-come, first-served and usually run out sometime in mid-fall!

You can also Click On! Financial Assistance or For Parents: or contact the customer service team at 1-800-468-5899 for more information.

For detailed information about fundraising ideas and scholarship options SEE BELOW or click on:

Scholarships & Grants:

https://fundraising.worldstrides.com/scholarships-and-grants/

Fundraising Ideas:

https://fundraising.worldstrides.com/

Send a Gift of Education E-Card!

One of World Strides most successful fundraising tool! Within seconds, you can customize our Gift of Education e-card and send them to friends and family members. https://fundraising.worldstrides.com/gis-gift-education/

Designs are available for all trip types and for all special occasions, including birthdays and the holidays. E-card recipients can quickly and easily make an online contribution directly to your account – and remember, 100% of the money you raise goes directly towards offsetting your trip price!

Another quick and easy way to share our Gift of Education is through Facebook.

To see the future you must look into the past!

Below you'll find travel guidelines, itinerary & hotel information, and last minute tips & reminders from DC25.

Students should assemble in the SEG parking lot no later than 3:00 am on Saturday morning. Please make sure buses can exit the parking lot.

We will depart promptly at 3:25 am for Midway airport.

Luggage

Make sure the white WorldStrides luggage tags are secured on your suitcase (checked bag) and on your backpack (carry-on bag).

Group Name on Luggage Tags: S.E. Gross Middle School

The backpack (carry-on bag) should be packed and ready to go for the day - as if that's your only bag for the entire day.

The suitcase (checked-bag), is for when you get to the hotel. We prefer that you don't go into your suitcase UNTIL you get to the hotel, at the end of the day.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/travel-checklist

https://www.tsa.gov

Pack accordingly! Expect rain. D.C. experiences it's most rainfall in the spring.

There will be A LOT of walking! Be prepared with good shoes!

- NO slides or crocs while touring the city!

- Pack for the weather. Check the weather!

- No video game systems.

- See packing list suggestions below.

CHECK THE WEATHER in DC! Click on link!

Snacks:

Students may pack snacks. We will also be providing snacks and water for students while touring.

For students with gluten or dietary issues be sure to pack some food/snacks accordingly especially for Saturday.

Eating on Saturday Morning:

1. - Stay hydrated.
  - Pack a refillable water bottle!
  - Try to eat something before you get to school.
  - Bring money for an airport breakfast and/or pack a heavy snack for when we board the bus. Lunch won't be until 12:30pm on Saturday.

We will NOT be eating at BWI airport.

Bring your Black Lanyards & Name Tags:

The black lanyard and name tag needs to be worn while traveling at all times! It has the emergency WorldAssist # - 1-800-999-4542 on the back.

Spending Money: Though the trip IS all inclusive, it is generally recommended to have the students bring between $100 - $150 spending money, BUT please keep in mind that cashless vendors are becoming more and more common, so I would advise you to be prepared with a VISA gift card or something similar.

Student's do not need a passport or any ID for flying, though I always advise students to bring their student IDs with them because I think it's probably a good idea to travel with identification.

Please try to be in school on Wednesday.

For anyone who is sick or has recently had Covid: Please make sure the families of your child's roommates have been notified of any recent health issues or illness.

If you have to cancel due to sickness, make sure you contact WorldStrides and then Mr. Soto ASAP. If you purchased the trip insurance through WS, you can cancel up until the day of departure.

Contact World Strides Customer Service at worldstrides.com/contact/ online or at 1-800-468-5899.

D.C. travel guidelines, itinerary

& hotel information:

Bus 1 Rosters

Bus 1

This is your bus for the entire trip.

Chaperone Groups are mostly for attendance purposes only, to make it easier for us to keep track of our students.

Bus 2 Rosters

Bus 2

This is your bus for the entire trip.

Medical Release Form.pdf

Code of Conduct.pdf

The Medical Release form & Student Code of Conduct form must be completed and turned in to Mr. Thompson or Ms. Mattucci as soon as possible.

These forms have already been distributed and are available in their rooms or Mr. Soto's room.

Please bring your completed Medical Release & Student Code of Conduct forms to the final meeting… IF you have not already turned them in.

itinerary DRAFT (3) 4-16.pdf

This is the most recent draft and was posted on 4/22.

This is a touring itinerary draft for the 2025 Washington D.C. Trip.

Please be aware that this itinerary can & will most likely change at the discretion of the chaperones and WorldStrides Course Leaders based on expediency esp. in instances such as crowds/traffic/government events, closures, or the weather.

Any event that requires a timed appointment, like dinner times, Ford's Theater or Mt. Vernon, will likely NOT to change.

Check the weather in DC! Click on link or The Weather Channel icon or image for updated DC weather reports.

One of the best parts of the DC trip is the lifelong memories captured in photos! We are so excited to share these moments with you and want you to be able to relive them through a fantastic slideshow.

This year, any pictures you would like to be considered for the DC 2025 slideshow will be uploaded to a shared Google Photos album.

You should download the Google Photos app ahead of time. We will share the link to the album via Remind.

You can select photos directly from your Camera Roll to upload to the Google Photos album.

If you cannot download the app, you are welcome to AirDrop or email your pictures to a chaperone throughout the trip, and they will upload them for you.

Your name is attached to any and all photos you upload. If any inappropriate photos are shared, or if you share a "silly" picture of someone without their consent, there will be consequences. Please avoid uploading Snapchat screenshots!

The slideshow is only as good as the pictures we have - these are memories that will last a lifetime!

Take a lot of group shot photos of you and your friends in front of the memorials & sites. Don't forget about pictures on the plane and on the bus rides!

See the 2024 Slideshow below for examples of what 2025 will look like.

D.C.

Washington D.C. 2025 Trip Slide Show

One of the best parts of the DC trip is the lifelong memories captured in photos. We are asking for your help in putting together a keepsake slideshow. When we return from the trip, please email your chaperone any pictures you'd like to be included.

You can also AirDrop pictures during the trip, if your chaperone is okay with that.

We ask that you limit submissions to 10-15 total of your best pictures, in order to make sure everyone is represented.

Group shots or pics with multiple students and/or chaperones engaged in trip activities are perfect.

Below are some good examples from previous trips and the video slideshow from 2024.

The 2026 8th Grade Washington D.C.

Trip is Sat. May 2nd – Tues. 5th.

Dear Parents and Students,

I am excited to announce that I and a group of SEG's best teachers, will once again be escorting a group of 8th Graders on the annual trip to Washington, D.C. While on this amazing adventure, students will explore some of our nation's most important historic and educational sites, memorials & monuments and experience incomparable learning moments, while bonding with their closest freinds and favorite teachers. Every year I look forward to leading a group of eager 8th Graders on another adventure to our Nation's capital, and 2026 will be no exception. This will be a trip that the 8th graders who are fortunate enough to attend will be talking about for years to come!

8th Graders will return home excited to talk about:

• discovering the true meaning of sacrifice & respect at Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and many other war memorials.

• walking in the footsteps of our greatest leaders on Capitol Hill and around the White House.

• learning about culture and our humanity at museums like the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History & Culture, the National Portrait Gallery, and the National Holocaust Memorial Museum.

• standing where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial.

• all the fun, bonding moments they will experience and share with their friends and teachers while traveling through Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.

"The Washington D.C. Trip is an essential part

of the 8th Grade experience at SEG!"

- SEG Alumn

We travel with WorldStrides, which has been around for over 50 years, and who I've been working with for almost 15 years. I have been a part of the SEG community for over 25 years and a sponsor of 8th Grade Washington D.C. trip since 2002. I've been the Program Leader of the trip since 2014. Many of the dedicated teacher-chaperones who will be joining us on our journey have been doing this with me for many years. Throughout the trip our group will be guided by a WorldStrides-certified D.C. course leader, or on-board docent. I would love to share this incredible and unforgettable experience with as many of the 8th Grade class as possible.

This tour is operated by WorldStrides Student Tours. School District 95 is NOT sponsoring this tour and does not assume any liability concerning this tour.

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