Ultimate Guide to WorldStrides Heritage Festivals | Everything You Need to Know

<Year> Trip to the <City> Heritage Festival Everything you need to know before travel: An administrator s guide

Meet WorldStrides The nation s oldest and largest student travel organization Founded in 1967, WorldStrides has organized student trips for more than 9 million students. They work with 550,000 students and 50,000 educators each year!

WorldStrides: Heritage Festival programs Every year, Heritage Festivals offer the most fulfilling festival formats, the best variety of dates and locations, and a lively sense of competition at the national level. Their adjudication philosophysets the standard for today s music festivals. Each performance is given written and recorded comments from a panel of three adjudicators, and is followed by a mini-clinic on stage. Adjudicators are trained annually to ensure fair judging practices and benchmarks for groups returning to Heritage Festivals. As an accredited organization, WorldStrides can offer students the opportunity to earn free academic credit for their travel experience and online coursework.

History of WorldStrides Performing Arts In 1980, a group of music educators and educational tour professionals believed that bands, choirs, and orchestras deserved new performing opportunities. Thus, Heritage Festivals was born, beginning a partnership with music educators that continues to grow achieve new standards of excellence in music performance. In 2000, Heritage Festivals became a division of WorldStrides, the most trusted provider of educational student travel in the nation. Today, Heritage Festivals is part of WorldStrides OnStage, a lineup of performing arts travel programs for students of all ages. As an accredited organization, WorldStrides complies with states requirements for teacher professional development and helps you identify opportunities to earn professional development points/hours. Educators can also earn discounted graduate credit because of our unique accredited status.

WorldStrides position on travel and safety has always been a simple one. WorldStrides will not operate a program, or any part of one, if it feels that the safety of any participants will be compromised. Safety First Safety and Security: Our Top Priority WorldStrides is the most trusted name in educational student travel. With 50 years of experience, WorldStrides has an unmatched safety record and has successfully coordinated travel for more than 9 million travelers. An Unmatched Safety Record As the global pandemic evolves, so do our standards for ensuring a safer travel experience. Learn more about the latest developments by visiting our website here. Adaptations to Safety Standards during COVID- 19

Safety is the number one priority at WorldStrides. All participants are expected to demonstrate high standards of conduct, courtesy, and consideration toward others. Students and their parent/legal guardian must sign a Code of Conduct to confirm that all participants understand the proper rules of conduct. Students behaving inappropriately while on the program may be sent home at the parent s expense. Behavior Contract Safety and Security: Our Top Priority For every 25 full-paying participants, Heritage Festivals programs will provide one free chaperone package. Directors can use these free packages to bring along chaperones to ensure that students receive proper attention and supervision. The director will identify the adult chaperones for the program. WorldStrides suggest selecting adults who are flexible, helpful, and comfortable with the students. Please note that at selected sites, students may be allowed the freedom to explore on their own. Adult Supervision

WorldStrides insurance is the largest in the industry at $50 million. This coverage extends to certain individuals acting on behalf of WorldStrides as tour directors, program leaders, and chaperones. Your school can be named as additionally insured. The industry's best liability insurance The best coverage for peace of mind Accident, illness, and accident-related dental insurance coverage is provided for all participants. Insurance coverage for every traveler As an Active Member of USTOA, WorldStrides is required to post $1 million with USTOA to be used to reimburse, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program, the advance payments of WorldStrides customers in the unlikely event of WorldStrides bankruptcy, insolvency or cessation of business. Further, you should understand that the $1 million posted by WorldStrides may be sufficient to provide only a partial recovery of the advance payments received by WorldStrides United States Tour Operators Association Members

Outstanding value for educators and students Performance in a national music festival Nationally known adjudication panel Positive, constructive adjudication with taped and written comments On-stage clinic Awards ceremony at exciting locations (dinner included in most cities) Meaningful awards and trophies Commemorative gift for each student Opportunity to earn free academic credit for students Free professional development for teachers All reservations and logistical planning The most comprehensive liability coverage in the industry Included accident and illness coverage for participants Quality hotel accommodations $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program Select meals All festival admissions, fees, and gratuities One free base travel package for every 25 purchased packages

Unmatched Educational Value Accreditation recognizes educational institutions for performance, integrity, and quality and entitles them to the confidence of the educational community and the public. In 1996, WorldStrides became the first student travel company to be accredited as an actual school. This means that we re accredited by the same regional and national accrediting bodies as your school and that we re held to the same strict academic standards as schools all across the country. Our accrediting bodies include: - Cognia Parent organization of North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, and the Northwest Accreditation Commission - Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools - Western Association of Schools and Colleges Our accredited status allows us to offer professional development opportunities for teachers and the opportunity for students to earn free high school academic credit.