My wife was wise enough to point her iPhone away from the LED billboards and toward the students. The image is one of my favorites from the entire trip: in my students’ eyes, I see a whole new world of possibilities opening up before them.
For some, a trip to New York might seem like a better-than-average field trip. But for my students, it was truly life-changing. Where I teach in Indianapolis, more than 90% of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Despite the challenges they face, these are incredible students who at times seem to be stuck in the wrong place, desperately searching for a way out. They know there is something else out there for them, but are just unable to put a finger on what it is. I hoped that this trip would help some of them understand what ‘it’ might be.
Ed note: Spencer Lloyd teaches music at Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis, where he is the Director of Choral Activities. He is currently a Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellow. To learn more about the ManualAires’ trip to New York, visit themanualaires.tumblr.com.
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