CARROLLTON, GA — Carrollton High School students embarked on a journey of exploration and discovery through an enrichment experience funded by Carrollton City Schools Education Foundation. The trip to Crystal River, Fl., not only promoted health and wellness but also cultivated independence through travel.

As January came to a close, a group of students and faculty loaded buses bound for Florida. Taking the scenic route, students were able to travel beyond Carroll County, exploring new landscapes during a three-day trip from home that allowed them to further develop life skills, healthy choices, and self-confidence.

CCS Director of Student Services Mary Raburn shared about the positive lifelong impact learning beyond the walls of a classroom can have on students. 

“The goal of this trip was to show students that learning and adventure are accessible to everyone,” said Raburn. “By participating in hands-on experiences like this, students gain confidence in themselves and their ability to engage fully in school and life.”

Centered on the importance of health and wellness, school nurses and staff members provided informational sessions about nutrition and fitness, including the timing of meals and exercise to maximize health benefits. Throughout the trip, excursions were designed with a dual purpose: to provide students with immersive learning experiences while reflecting on decision-making in real-world settings. 

From touring state parks to snorkeling down rivers and learning about the regional wildlife, students were able to step away from everyday routines, connect with nature, and put their skills into practice. One student shared with chaperones that she had never traveled outside the state of Georgia until this trip, making the experience especially meaningful. Bridging learning with eye-opening experiences is at the heart of the Carrollton City Schools Education Foundation. 

After first observing manatees in an aquarium, and then, again, through glass-bottom boats, students reached the grand finale of the trip: swimming face-to-face with the manatees in their natural habitat.

Early on the final morning of the trip, everyone geared up in wetsuits, listened to the safety instructions, and entered Crystal River with excitement, anticipation, and assurance that they were prepared to take on this new experience. 

Through this meaningful excursion, CHS senior Grayson George shared how the trip is now a milestone in his high school career. 

“It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Grayson. Describing swimming with the manatees as “fascinating,” he said being up close to these creatures was “a sight to behold,” noting he hopes other students will be able to participate in trips like this in the future. 

The CCS Education Foundation supported the trip to help students gain confidence in new experiences. With every field trip, the foundation invests in each child’s future by expanding their horizons while reinforcing that learning and exploration should never feel limiting.

“These are the kinds of experiences that create lasting memories while expanding students’ perspectives of the world around them,” said CCS Education Foundation Executive Director, Brooke Mobley. “We’re honored to help make opportunities like this possible.” 

To learn more or to support enrichment experiences for students at Carrollton City Schools, visit www.carrolltoncityschools.net/community/foundation.

CHS students, sophomore Brody Robinson (left) and senior Grayson George (right), give thumbs up to swimming with the manatees at Crystal River, Fl.
 

Pictured from left, front to back, are Isabella Johnson, Reis Grimes, Anunika Coleman, Ollie Purvis, and Grayson George, observing a manatee through an observation window during a glass-bottom boat ride at Silver Springs State Park in Florida.