Crookston Middle School students are gearing up for their spring field trips. The sixth graders will head to Itasca State Park the week of May 13, the seventh graders will go to the Minnesota Twins game on Thursday, May 16, and the eighth graders will take a trip to Valley Fair in Shakopee, Minnesota, on the last day of school (May 30).
The community is encouraged to participate in fundraising opportunities for these field trips. Funds will be used to help mitigate the cost of travel and lodging for the district as well as help students attend field trips who may be experiencing financial hardships. Each middle school student will be charged a $60 flat rate for the field trips.
“There are financial hardships scholarships available,” said Crookston Middle School Math Teacher Dan Halland, “The main thing is to get the word out and let everyone know that this is a possibility and we don’t want to leave anybody out. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of these kids to go on trips like these. Some kids have talked about the Itasca trip for years, and some parents have experienced Itasca. So we want this to continue for generations to come.”
Community entities contributing to the cause include Happy Joe’s Pizza, the Crookston Lion’s Club, and the Highland PTO. The Crookston Middle School will host a fundraising breakfast on Sunday, April 28, with the Masons, but the time of the event has yet to be determined. “On top of that, we will have staff members and kids get involved with fundraising,” said Halland, “We’ve taken on working on concessions for basketball games. What we’ve been doing has been beneficial in creating funds for our middle school students to enjoy these outdoor experiences.”
Those interested in donating to the middle school field trip fund can make checks available to Crookston High School and bring them to the front office at CHS. Cash donations are also accepted at the front desk, with the recommendation that donors attach a note to the donation stating whom the funds are intended.
