San Fernando : School Trip Possible, Thanks to Merchants

Money’s been tight all around, but when residents and merchants in the city of San Fernando learned that a traditional, history-oriented trip for fifth- and sixth-graders was in jeopardy, they responded.

With their help, San Fernando Elementary School raised $20,000 to send 46 students on the journey that will take them to Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the White House and Valley Forge, among other places.

“This is the first year ever that I sensed a problem” during fund-raising for the trip, Assistant Principal Ted Johnson said. “It’s been a tough year for everybody, and if it comes down to a choice between putting food on the table or sending your kid on a trip, we, of course, expect them to choose food.”

Parents pay only the cost of round-trip air fare for the trip set for Jan. 9-14. Although $350 per ticket is relatively cheap for a cross-country flight, it was more than many parents could scape up this year.

Through fund-raisers, including candy sales, spelling bees, carwashes and bake sales, students and parents ultimately collected enough to cover most of the hotel, food and transportation costs, Johnson said. But they were still short.

“We were having a tough time, and so were our parents,” Johnson said. He made a plea to the San Fernando business community, and they responded. “We’ve had checks come in for anywhere from $25 to several hundred dollars” from community groups, professionals and others, including the school’s photographer, School Portraits by Kratz, which donated $500.

With the money collected, the school was able to provide partial scholarships to some students who longed to go but simply couldn’t afford it, Johnson said.

“When you think about what these children are going to see--Ellis Island, Philadelphia, Washington--all presented in a historical context, you see how important this is,” he said, adding that some students pass up Christmas and birthday gifts so parents can save enough money to send them.