We are so excited about these Great Ideas!
All of these projects were funded by donors like YOU!
Scroll down to discover really cool initiatives, in the words of our teachers and students!
Check back frequently to learn about some of the projects we have most recently funded.
Scroll down to discover really cool initiatives, in the words of our teachers and students!
Check back frequently to learn about some of the projects we have most recently funded.
Project Related Video & Audio
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Great Idea Snapshots
Spotlight ON:
Philadelphia Field Trips
This past spring we funded two similar, and yet quite different field trips to Philadelphia!
The Lion Foundation was thrilled to help fund these two amazing experiences, and all of the amazing things our students learned along the way.
AP US History & AP Government"These Camp Hill students impressed everyone in the court room!""Both Judge Rendell and Beth Specker, the executive director of the Rendell Center for Civic Education, told me after that it was hands down the best student arguments they had ever hosted. One law clerk told me that he wasn’t sure what guidance to give because our students handled the arguments so well. They all continued to comment to me how bright our Camp Hill students are."
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5th Grade Class Trip"Experiencing Philadelphia is amazing!""The kids had an absolute blast and a great day!" From a fun bus ride to exploring the city in small groups, the 5th Grade Trip to Philadelphia is a rite of passage here in Camp Hill. We are proud to help cover transportation costs, pay museum fees, and make sure everyone looked great in matching t-shirts! |
In their own words...
As part of our mission to spotlight the many ambitious projects and programs your generous donations help make possible, we recently sat down with these dedicated educators to learn about the inspiration behind these two awesome field trips!
Read on for an inside look on the Philly trips from the two teachers who make them happen: Robbie Tubbs, who teaches AP United States History and CP Civics and Government at Camp Hill High School and Elaine Klick, 5th grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary.
Read on for an inside look on the Philly trips from the two teachers who make them happen: Robbie Tubbs, who teaches AP United States History and CP Civics and Government at Camp Hill High School and Elaine Klick, 5th grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary.
One-on-One with Robbie Tubbs, CHHS Teacher, AP United States History and C.P. Civics & Government
Lion Foundation (LF): Tell me about the impetus for the trip?
Tubbs: Cory Hulsizer and I have been trying to make an annual trip that we take both of our AP classes together jointly on. And we’ve decided that since a lot of students are taking U.S. history as 11th graders and then they’re also taking Gov. as seniors, we didn’t want to go to the same place back to back years. So the first year, we went to Washington, D.C., and last (spring) to Philadelphia.
LF: In Philadelphia, what was the itinerary?
Tubbs: So I planned a walking tour for them. I took them around Old City, and showed them different sites. They got a taste of the city, and a taste of the history. And then as a group, we went to the Museum of the American Revolution and spent some time there. So that was the U.S. history specific aspect.
And then after that, we were hosted by The Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Education. They put on a moot court at the federal courthouse. Judge [Marjorie O.] Rendell presided over the trial for it, which was very cool.
LF: Tell me more about that. Was that to try and give students the opportunity to make a real, world-life [court] argument?
Tubbs: So the moot court is a constitutional argument. They’re arguing in front of a Circuit Court judge who is hearing this constitutional question on appeal. They do one in my civics class as 10th graders, so they had all been familiar with the process. But now they were in the courtroom, they had law clerks helping them put together their arguments. And then, Judge Rendell is sitting on the bench asking them questions. So it was very intense.
We split them up on teams, and they had about 45 minutes to work with the law clerks to prepare their arguments. And then we also had a group of students that acted as justices. So they worked with Judge Rendell to talk about developing questions, you know, how to dissect their argument and things like that. And we had a panel of student justices that asked questions to our student lawyer teams as well. So we had quite a lot of engagement. I got a lot of compliments from the Judge, I got compliments from the Rendell Center, they were just very impressed with how well our students handled those arguments.
LF: Tell me more about the significance of doing this kind of trip every year and giving students that opportunity?
Tubbs: These AP students work very hard all year long. These two AP classes are rigorous. They are fast-paced. There is a ton of work that goes into it. And this is meant to be kind of a capstone to that — almost like a “Congratulations, you made it” type of reward for students at the end of the year. And they really do work very hard all year. So there’s that.
But then secondarily, it is absolutely meant to try to get them in the places that we’ve been talking about all year. Like the AP Gov kids, as an example, talking about policy-making all year — then at the end of the year, they get to sit down with legislative staffers. Or they get to see a historical site, or they get to see the documents that we’ve been talking about at the [National] Archives. You know, we’re just so close to all of these really great places, we would be remiss not to take advantage of that, I think.
LF: And so in a way, it’s also a little bit about career exploration?
Tubbs: Yeah, absolutely. Opportunities to think about careers, and to think about next steps — and to make it not seem so foreign, I guess.
LF: Great. And how does The Lion Foundation’s funding help in putting this together?
Tubbs: Really, the funding from The Lion Foundation makes it so that our students don’t have to contribute extra money, which is very valuable for us, for our students and for our families.
LF: Anything else you want to add that I haven’t asked?
Tubbs: Just a thanks. Thanks to the Foundation, to donors, to community support. We really like doing these things, and it’s just great to be supported.
Lion Foundation (LF): Tell me about the impetus for the trip?
Tubbs: Cory Hulsizer and I have been trying to make an annual trip that we take both of our AP classes together jointly on. And we’ve decided that since a lot of students are taking U.S. history as 11th graders and then they’re also taking Gov. as seniors, we didn’t want to go to the same place back to back years. So the first year, we went to Washington, D.C., and last (spring) to Philadelphia.
LF: In Philadelphia, what was the itinerary?
Tubbs: So I planned a walking tour for them. I took them around Old City, and showed them different sites. They got a taste of the city, and a taste of the history. And then as a group, we went to the Museum of the American Revolution and spent some time there. So that was the U.S. history specific aspect.
And then after that, we were hosted by The Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Education. They put on a moot court at the federal courthouse. Judge [Marjorie O.] Rendell presided over the trial for it, which was very cool.
LF: Tell me more about that. Was that to try and give students the opportunity to make a real, world-life [court] argument?
Tubbs: So the moot court is a constitutional argument. They’re arguing in front of a Circuit Court judge who is hearing this constitutional question on appeal. They do one in my civics class as 10th graders, so they had all been familiar with the process. But now they were in the courtroom, they had law clerks helping them put together their arguments. And then, Judge Rendell is sitting on the bench asking them questions. So it was very intense.
We split them up on teams, and they had about 45 minutes to work with the law clerks to prepare their arguments. And then we also had a group of students that acted as justices. So they worked with Judge Rendell to talk about developing questions, you know, how to dissect their argument and things like that. And we had a panel of student justices that asked questions to our student lawyer teams as well. So we had quite a lot of engagement. I got a lot of compliments from the Judge, I got compliments from the Rendell Center, they were just very impressed with how well our students handled those arguments.
LF: Tell me more about the significance of doing this kind of trip every year and giving students that opportunity?
Tubbs: These AP students work very hard all year long. These two AP classes are rigorous. They are fast-paced. There is a ton of work that goes into it. And this is meant to be kind of a capstone to that — almost like a “Congratulations, you made it” type of reward for students at the end of the year. And they really do work very hard all year. So there’s that.
But then secondarily, it is absolutely meant to try to get them in the places that we’ve been talking about all year. Like the AP Gov kids, as an example, talking about policy-making all year — then at the end of the year, they get to sit down with legislative staffers. Or they get to see a historical site, or they get to see the documents that we’ve been talking about at the [National] Archives. You know, we’re just so close to all of these really great places, we would be remiss not to take advantage of that, I think.
LF: And so in a way, it’s also a little bit about career exploration?
Tubbs: Yeah, absolutely. Opportunities to think about careers, and to think about next steps — and to make it not seem so foreign, I guess.
LF: Great. And how does The Lion Foundation’s funding help in putting this together?
Tubbs: Really, the funding from The Lion Foundation makes it so that our students don’t have to contribute extra money, which is very valuable for us, for our students and for our families.
LF: Anything else you want to add that I haven’t asked?
Tubbs: Just a thanks. Thanks to the Foundation, to donors, to community support. We really like doing these things, and it’s just great to be supported.
One-on-one with Mrs. Klick, 5th Grade Teacher
Lion Foundation: Tell me about the 5th grade trip to Philadelphia. What do you see when you're there?
Klick: We leave early. We leave before the school day starts and ride the buses — which is big for the kids, because they don’t have buses. And it’s a long day, but it's awesome.
So they get to go to three different ticketed places: They go to the Ben Franklin Museum, and they go to the Constitution Center. And they also get to watch the Freedom Rising, and then they go to Independence Hall. So it’s a big day.
And then when they are not at their ticketed times, they can go see the Liberty Bell and the Betsy Ross house. The area there is beautiful, and so they’re free to walk around. They love to go get ice cream, and Starbucks.
LF: Of course!
Klick: Of course! I mean, it is a long day, we’re back at six or seven at night. But being there early and late is what allows us to have them go see all three locations.
LF: Now, is the trip part of the curriculum for the year?
Klick:. The trip is the culmination, basically. We do Explorer’s Unit, so we teach about the Europeans that came over to explore and everything that went up to leading to us becoming the United States of America.
We also pair it during that time with guided reading. We read historical fiction novels and they are also directly connected to that time period.
So to be able to see their faces when they connect [what they see on the trip to what they learned in the classroom] … oh my goodness. You can just see the moment, the connection, the light bulb.
LF: What do you hope that they get when they’re there?
Klick:. I hope that history becomes real to them. That it’s not just something they read about. And it does — when they go into Independence Hall, that’s one of my favorite moments. Because they have literally looked at me and said, ‘Ms. Klick, is this really where they signed it?’. And you’re like, `yeah, this is where they signed it.’ And so, it just becomes real to them, it’s not just history. They actually get to see that huge connection.
LF:. And when they come back, what is the thing that has most impressed them?
Klick: Starbucks and ice cream! I mean, they’re kids, so Starbucks and ice cream and being with their friends is a highlight. But they also follow that up with an [understanding of ] how our country was founded and where and why. And it’s really neat to see that.
LF: So the entire class goes?
Klick: Yes, all five fifth grade classrooms go … So it’s a lot! But it’s another part of our Camp Hill community. Last year, I think we had 89 students — and we had 42 chaperons.
LF: Wow.
Klick: I didn’t want to turn them away. And so I said, if the parents want to go and they’re cleared, I want to take them. And that, to me, was so cool to see.
LF: Anything else you want to add? You talked about how The Lion Foundation grant helps in realizing this. Anything else you want to add about the trip that I haven’t covered?
Klick: It is an absolute highlight of the 5th grade, it really is .. and we could not go if The Lion Foundation didn’t support it, we couldn’t go if the PTO didn't support, we couldn’t go if we didn’t have 42 parents willing to go. And so to me, I just think it’s such a cool culmination and prime example of so many areas of our community coming together once again for our students to have an awesome experience.