Making Field Trips a Reality with the Excursion Grant Program

Posted December 20, 2021

PVF believes that students deserve to experience adventure early on in their academic careers. Due to continued cuts to school budgets, teachers have an increasingly difficult time taking their students out on adventures. With little to no funding for excursions, students miss out on opportunities to experience the real world with guidance from their hardworking teachers.

This is where PVF steps in to help TK-5 teachers go above and beyond for their students by providing $1,000 grants, funded by The Geballe Family, to cover field trip expenses. These grants are gone almost as soon as they are available, often with funding being exhausted within a month or two. This speaks to both the dedication of public school teachers and the need for funding that is often not available for field trips in the public school system. After 18 months of virtual learning, field trips are needed more than ever!

Below is a report back from Christine Armstrong, Elementary School Teacher in San Francisco, on how she and her students used an Excursion Grant this month.

On December 3rd the students in two 4th/5th split-grade classes at Alvarado Elementary School went on an amazing cruise around the San Francisco Bay to celebrate the end of the trimester and the interdisciplinary science & social studies unit in which they studied Ecology and Maritime History of the San Francisco Bay.

The grant money we received from the Geballe family was used to purchase Blue and Gold Ferry tickets for the students and the two teachers. We would not have been able to make this field trip a reality without your generous support.

This wonderful excursion made it possible for our students to view the stunning marine life (sea lions, porpoises, and pelicans) and the world famous landmarks (the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point, and the Alcatraz). While our students were keen to learn about these wonders surrounding our world-class city in the classroom, seeing these places and animals with their own eyes added a whole new dimension to their learning.

Organizations such as yours make it possible for our students to have meaningful learning opportunities which will continue to enrich their lives for many years to come. We thank you very much for your exceptional support and generosity for this marvelous opportunity.