The School for Advanced Studies (SAS) program at North Hollywood High is known for its challenging academics and talented students. But one major issue that stands out is the lack of field trips. These rare outings could bring lessons to life and offer students a break from their intense schedules.
Recently, about 80 SAS students went on a trip to Santa Monica to see the live show at Cirque Du Soleil “Kooza” on Jan. 5th, 2025. According to senior Jett Black, the trip was a success. “Ms. Wu and the chaperones handled it incredibly well. Besides the small delay at the beginning, there was no point where anyone got lost or had to regroup,” Jett stated.
Everyone was in agreement that the show was a hit. “The performances were incredible, and the whole crowd was laughing during their improvs,” Jett added. Students from all grades attended, and it left a positive impression. Mr. Arturo Alvarado, a chaperone who attended the event, reflected on the importance of field trips, “Field trips open up possibilities and opportunities, allowing their creative side to explore and open up. Some students have never gone on field trips, and the school should definitely give more opportunities like these to the SAS students.”
However, the cost was about $100+ per ticket, making it a major opportunity for SAS students to attend the field trip for free through LAUSD. The price of this field trip is also a reason why field trips for SAS are uncommon.
Field trips in the SAS program are rare, even though they could make learning more exciting. Visits to museums, science centers, or historic sites would connect classroom lessons to the real world. But the high cost of tickets and transportation makes them difficult to organize. “Everyone would benefit from more field trips, and exploring the outside world opens students’ minds up to get more motivation when learning,” Mr. Alvarado added.
The packed SAS schedule is another issue. Teachers worry that taking time away from class could hurt progress, especially with AP exams and other deadlines.
Mr. Alvarado also shared details about the last SAS field trip experience, “The bus was really cool and not normally a regular school bus; it looked like a charter bus. It was very comfortable. Santa Monica has very nice weather, and many people tend to be active and enjoy the place, such as guys on bikes and people going on jogs. Three girls seemed to have no bones in their body during the show with all the tricks their body kept forming—backflips, front flips, hands in different positions.”
The coordinator who planned this field trip was Ms. Ana Wu, one of the SAS teachers, mentioning the enjoyable moment of spending time with the SAS students at this specific fieldtrip. In which she mentioned, “We were able to incorporate cultural arts, and it was really cool because it was a senior field trip to the pier of Santa Monica. It was also so phenomenal how athletic the human condition can be because I didn’t know how human bodies could be this strong as a small human. I didn’t know a person could bend back that way for the show and entertain the crowd.”
Expressing the adventures students get to experience and new surprises for the SAS class. Including the reaction of staff members and not only students. Wu states, “That’s Wild” while watching this performance at the Cirque Du Soleil.
