Tauck Foundation

“Education is not the filling of a pail,
but the lighting of a fire.”
-William Butler Yeats

In 2006, the Tauck Foundation partnered with four independent youth agencies to develop a unique, travel-oriented summer program for low-income, middle school students. Together, we created Sparks -- a structured, high-quality program for young people designed to be implemented by a diverse range of youth organizations.

Gain an interest in travel, an appreciation for new experiences, and a love of learning
Develop a greater understanding and appreciation for diversity and difference
Increase their self-awareness, confidence, and sense of independence
Learn both individual and group responsibility and how to work collaboratively with others

Program Components
Sparks is a 6 to 8-week program that integrates creative, thematic day camp programming with a 6-day travel experience. The program currently offers two different curriculums, each of which is paired with a trip itinerary that offers a broad array of learning opportunities, from history and culture, to world-renowned institutions, rural and urban landscapes, ecology, etc.

Twenty-four students from each partner agency participate each summer. For the first 4-6 weeks, they meet regularly to learn about the places they will visit, to help plan the trip and to practice travel and life skills, and to build a sense of mutual respect and responsibility among the students and adults who will be traveling together.

During the next to last week of the program the students, along with 4 chaperones and a professional tour director, embark on a 6-day tour that includes sightseeing, experiential learning, college and career exploration, and a good dose of fun. Participants travel by motor coach, stay at hotels, dine in local restaurants, and are provided with expert guides throughout.

The final week of the program is dedicated to group and personal reflection. Each group prepares and delivers a unique presentation to share their Sparks experience with family, friends, and the community.

Partner Roles & Responsibilities
The Tauck Foundation provides a college intern to assist with the program at each agency, provides all curricular materials, as well as training for all agency staff involved in the program, and organizes and funds all aspects of the 6-day trip.

Each youth agency recruits 24 students to participate in the program, operates the program as a distinct component of their summer camp, and dedicates key staff to plan the program, teach the curriculum, and to lead/chaperone the trip.

Results
The Sparks program was conceived in 2005 and piloted in Summer 2006. The first year of the program proved exceptionally successful.

Sixty-three students engaged in fun and educational activities throughout the summer. The trip allowed them to connect what they learned in camp (and in school) to the real world, making learning relevant and exciting. They also developed important life skills – being away from home for 6 days, living and cooperating with roommates, developing travel know-how (restaurant etiquette, how to pack a suitcase, how to check-in to a hotel, etc.).

As one Trip Leader noted, “There were more teachable moments in that one week than I get in a whole year of working with these kids.”

Evaluation results collected and compiled by an outside consultant indicate that participants experienced positive growth in the following five areas: Acceptance of Responsibility, Social Competence, Love of Learning, Self-Confidence, and Appreciation of Diversity.

In 2007, the foundation is continuing the Sparks program and plans to enroll 150 students at six different partner sites in Fairfield County, CT and upstate NY.