Exploring the Heart of the USA: How Domestic Travel Programs Empower Students to Build a Better Future

"We are not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." – Jimmy Carter

One of the quickest growing areas of our work at EdOdyssey is domestic travel for students. 

We are lucky to live in a country so vast and diverse that it’s possible to encounter an incredible variety of lived experiences, backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, and perspectives within our own borders. And there is huge value—perhaps more so in our world today than ever before—in introducing students to the “beautiful mosaic” they call home.  

UNDERSTANDING THE INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY ON OUR DOORSTEP: PEOPLE

For a quick overview: Some 331 million people live in the United States, with about 14% of US residents having been born abroad, coming from more than 150 different countries. It’s home to 573 federally-recognized tribes, including Navajo Nation, Cherokee Nation, and Sioux tribes. Our population speaks more than 350 languages and, in fact, has no official language at the federal level—a nod to its multicultural identity. The range of religious beliefs stretches to include Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and a variety of other religions, as well as many people who identify as unaffiliated to any religion. About 83% of us live in urban areas, with a rural population that still contributes in a significant way to our cultural and economic diversity. Imagine how much we could all learn from one another with open ears and open minds.

UNDERSTANDING THE INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY ON OUR DOORSTEP: NATURE

And the diversity of the United States stretches far beyond its people. With its size comparable to the whole of Europe, it’s no surprise it’s a treasure trove of natural wonders. We have tropical rainforests in Hawaii, deserts in Arizona, tundra in Alaska, prairies in the Midwest, and temperate forests in the Northeast; every type of biome is represented within our borders and is a potential setting for students to explore. Our 63 national parks and more than 400 protected natural areas offer endless opportunities for discovery. Did you know that the U.S. is one of the top 20 most biodiverse countries in the world with 200,000 native species of plants and animals for students to learn about? We have more than 95,400 miles of coastline to explore, 250,000 rivers, and 100,000 lakes—including the Great Lakes which hold 21% of the world’s surface freshwater. All of these places can show students the intricate connection between nature, culture, and the humans who live here, and teach them about conservation and sustainability.

THE U.S. AS A LIVING CLASSROOM

With this incredible diversity—in nearly every sense of the word—so unparalleled, our own backyard is essentially a living classroom. It’s bursting with rich stories, unique local histories and traditions, and ideas and views of the world that are, in many ways, shaped by lives much different than our students’ own. 

Traveling across the States means exposure to a microcosm of different cultures with influence from around the globe. Students can experience vibrant Mexican traditions in the Southwest; soul food, hospitality, and African American cultural contributions in the South; Scandinavian heritage and the agriculture and small-town values that drive life in the Midwest; the environmental consciousness and Indigenous heritage of the Pacific Northwest; the innovation of Silicon Valley; the melting pot of urban diversity in New York and LA; and the beauty of fall foliage and cranberry bogs along with the historical roots of the country’s founding in New England. Wherever you go, there will be great resources to lean on too; according to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are more than 35,000 museums across the U.S..

And that’s just scratching the surface.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS: A SPECIAL MENTION

There is so much to be gained by incorporating domestic travel into the student experience, with a special mention to secondary schools. Teenagers are at a critically important phase of life, a pivotal age where they are beginning to form their own identities and worldviews. Travel brings them exposure to new environments, different cultures, people who live in a way they might not even recognize. This can show them that their own lives are just a barely visible sliver on the spectrum of global experiences. 

The high-impact experiential learning that comes innately with travel encourages students to become more open-minded, compassionate, empathetic, curious, and accepting of diverse perspectives and different ways of living. It fosters independence and self-confidence by pushing the boundaries of comfort zones and through exposure to situations not previously encountered. Students grapple with problem-solving, collaborate on projects in the field, and become more adaptable and flexible. Travel presents a powerful pathway toward both personal and professional development, not to mention the forming of strong bonds and long-lasting friendships with their travel peers. 

TRAVEL CHANGES PEOPLE; PEOPLE CHANGE THE WORLD

Travel is a driver for reflection and change. This includes self-reflection, and thinking more deeply about our world as a whole. Domestic travel often brings an eye-opening realization of the inequalities that exist within our own borders; it can be a mirror held up to challenges that other people face that students may not face themselves, or even have been aware of previously. It connects students to broader social, political, and environmental issues, and they see how different areas of the country face up to sustainability, poverty, access to education, human rights, and much more. Travel can foster in students a stronger sense of respect for diverse opinions, and a realization that we have a shared humanity despite differences in political or cultural views. 

All of this can motivate students to engage with their communities and peers in a way that has the potential to cause a ripple effect and inspire positive change in the next generation. Travel changes people; people change the world. This is what drives us. 

CREATING DOMESTIC TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUR STUDENTS

When the words “student travel” come up, many people envision students jetting off to Italy or Peru (and we work in international travel too), but sometimes, especially at the secondary level, it can be just as transformative and powerful to start at home. Here, students can enjoy the benefits of travel while also first understanding and appreciating the diversity and complexities of their own country. You’ll also be putting money into local economies, and staying in the U.S. lessons the stress and time of getting to your destination.

There are so many ways we can shape an itinerary for domestic travel that allows students to explore a chosen topic in depth and meet specific learning objectives along the way. Next month, for example, we’re leading a group of students on an adventure to New Orleans where they will dive into the dual topic of “Music and Civil Rights.” A different example is a series of day and weekend trips taking the Northeastern Global Scholars to see specific areas surrounding their Oakland campus.

If you have an idea for a program or even an interest in domestic travel with a group of your students without a specific direction in mind, reach out. We’re here to help you brainstorm, see the many possibilities, and make the whole process of bringing a program to life feel like a breeze. The impact of your choice will last your students a lifetime.