Schoolchildren
Each year, WCS Education delivers thousands of field trip programs to schoolchildren from PreK to 12th grade. The program evaluation – conducted annually since 2017 – provides insight into the programs’ reach and impact.
Schools were eager to return to our parks after years of pandemic-related travel restrictions and many students went on the very first field trip of their academic careers. We offered a range of program types from educator-led classroom, outreach, and virtual programs, to volunteer-led guided tours, to self-guided scavenger hunts. We also hosted Science Fairs and Community Days, which brought the whole school community into our parks.
In the 2022-2023 school year:
- We delivered nearly 4,000 field trips to 104,000 students from 900 schools.
- 87% of students were from schools located in NYC, the majority of which were Title 1 schools.
- We provided nearly 700 free field trips to students from over 200 NYC Title 1 schools.
- 30% of the 432 schools located within walking distance of our parks participated in a field trip, an increase from 18% last year.
Across program types:
- Nearly all teachers rated their experience as superior or excellent.
- Teachers described their students’ memorable moments participating in animal demonstrations and spending time at exhibits, with many noting that they appreciated the high level of interaction their students had with a knowledgeable educator.
- Ninety percent of teachers said that the programs increased their students’ understanding of the natural world and conservation issues. These gains were particularly evident for the subset of programs focused on conservation topics, such as climate change.
The school programs report includes information on our reach and impact and guides the development and implementation of future school programs.