IKON helps students explore life outside school

Remember the excitement of a school trip? Sean Smith, President of IKON Canada, remembers. That’s one of the reasons he serves on the Honorary Board of Directors of DayTrippers, a non-profit children's charity that raise funds for trips to recognized educational and cultural institutions for school groups in lower-income and far-reaching areas.

“I believe in education, inside and outside the classroom and am happy to give back to the community by working with an organization dedicated to help young students expand their range of experiences,” said Smith.

Just as classroom learning is integral for building healthy thinkers, outside the classroom development is critical to fostering healthy, active and productive people because children benefit tremendously from experiences that are provided through class trips and field days. However, children from lower-income families are three times less likely to participate in extracurricular learning opportunities than children from high-income families due to cost barriers.

These cost barriers prevent children from engaging in a full educational experience and they can have a psychological impact as well: a child left behind means a child who may be ostracized for not being able to participate.

That’s where DayTrippers gets involved.

Formed in Toronto in 2000 by a group of young professionals who believe that every student should have the opportunity to visit unique places of learning, DayTrippers has helped over 20,000 students in Ontario and Quebec attend field trips they might not otherwise be able to afford.

And now, with the addition of an IKON executive on the board, the organization is expanding into Nova Scotia. In addition to conducting business with the Nova Scotia School Board Association, IKON is giving back to Nova Scotian students through its support of DayTrippers. IKON will help up to 150 Nova Scotia students participate in five field trips in 2007/08.

For more information on DayTrippers, visit www.daytrippers.org.