×

School field trips bring rewards to students, city

Submitted Photo Many school buses line the parking lot at Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot on May 15. May is a busy month for field trips in the city.

When springtime arrives, so do dozens of buses from area schools, traveling on field trips to Minot with students aboard. Minot students also make field trips that take them to various locations around the city.

It’s quite evident students, their teachers and others accompanying the group are in the city when the buses can be spotted rolling up and down our streets to their tour locations.

Field trips give these students a fun day outside of their classrooms while providing invaluable educational experiences as they see and learn at their different stops. These visits by hundreds of students, along with those accompanying them, leave a significant economic and tourism impact on our community.

For example, on one recent day, 14 school buses were parked in the lot at Roosevelt Park Zoo, according to Jennifer Kleen, executive director of the Greater Minot Zoological Society. Visits from school groups to the zoo is at its highest level in the month of May. School groups from May 1-18 totaled 2,401 individuals. As of Tuesday, that number had increased to 2,962 zoo visitors who were traveling with school groups. Schools were represented from all directions and as far away as communities such as Belcourt, Dunseith, Washburn, Devils Lake, Alexander, Williston, Center-Stanton and Hazen.

In addition to the zoo, many of the buses carrying students make stops during the yearly field trip season at — to name just a sample — Dakota Territory Air Museum, Lowe’s Garden Center, North Hill Bowl, High Air Ground Trampoline Park, Minot parks, and new this year, Magic City Discovery Center. Usually, some type of food stop is also on their schedules, boosting business at local restaurants.

We welcome schools to visit Minot on their field trips. The community has a lot to offer students looking to expand their learning experiences.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today