Smithsonian and Walking Tree Travel Launch "Smithsonian Student Adventures"

DENVER, Nov. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Walking Tree Travel, a premier student travel provider focused on cultural engagement, and the Smithsonian Institution, the largest museum and research complex in the world, are pleased to announce a new collection of educational travel programs for high school student groups. "Smithsonian Student Adventures" offers international educational immersion travel to breath-taking destinations around the world, on five continents and to 17 countries. These challenging and enriching itineraries capitalize on the combined experience of Walking Tree Travel and the iconic Smithsonian, inspiring students to become global citizens by taking an active interest in the world around them.

Smithsonian Student Adventures will launch with travel opportunities to include: Wildlife Conservation Projects, Service-Learning, Cultural Immersion, and Homestays in Central and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Educators will accompany their students on active learning adventures including sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica, language learning in France, elephant conservation in Thailand, and more. Each program will engage students on an academic level and introduce them to sites that will bring the educational experience to life and inspire future learning.

"The Smithsonian's dedication to learning is well-known, and its sense of wonder and creativity is inspirational. We are thrilled to be working with it to offer these distinctive travel experiences," said Paul Laurie, Co-Founder of Walking Tree Travel.

"We are excited to expand Smithsonian Journeys' global travel program to high school students and their teachers," said Carol LeBlanc, Senior Vice President Smithsonian Enterprises. "This program, developed with Walking Tree Travel will provide enriching experiences that will educate and inspire a younger audience."

Smithsonian Student Adventures offers two ways to travel:  Custom Group or Open Enrollment Travel Programs.  Custom Group Travel is targeted to educators who work with Smithsonian Student Adventures to develop the programing, destination and trip duration that will best fit their learning objectives and goals for their students.  Open Enrollment Programs are available to individual high school students who are interested in traveling with their student peers, who have similar interests in learning about the world.

Smithsonian Student Adventures immerses small groups in destinations that offer meaningful and authentic cultural experiences. In addition to School Visits, where students experience first-hand how international students learn, and Homestays, where students are paired up to stay with local families, programs also feature Service-Learning components. Whether working with local volunteers on a reforestation campaign in Senegal, supporting a micro-finance project in Guatemala, building schoolhouses in Costa Rica, teaching English at an orphanage in Peru, or staying with monks at a monastery in China, students will see themselves, other cultures, and the world in a new light.

Smithsonian Student Adventures programing will be organized by Walking Tree Travel in collaboration with Smithsonian Journeys, the worldwide educational travel group of the Smithsonian Institution. The first programs will launch in the spring of 2017. For more information, call 303-997-0351 or visit www.SmithsonianStudentAdventures.com.

About Walking Tree Travel
Walking Tree Travel, headquartered in Denver, CO, is a privately owned student travel company that organizes international community service, biodiversity conservation, language immersion, and homestay-centered programs for high school students and educators. Moreover, Walking Tree is a community of people who strive to inspire youth to become global citizens by taking an active interest in the world around them. Visit www.walkingtree.org.

About Smithsonian
Since its founding in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to inspiring generations through knowledge and discovery. The Smithsonian is the world's largest museum, education and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. There are 6,500 Smithsonian employees and 6,300 volunteers. There were 28 million visits to the Smithsonian in 2015. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 154 million, of which 145 million are scientific specimens at the National Museum of Natural History. www.smithsonian.org

About Smithsonian Journeys
Smithsonian Journeys is an established leader in expert-led land and cruise travel, offering more than 350 annual cultural and enrichment journeys on all seven continents. Smithsonian Journeys delivers vibrant experiences that uncover the authentic culture of each destination, providing access unavailable to most travelers. A broad array of travel opportunities are available, ranging from small-group land tours (many that are air inclusive) to small-ship ocean and river cruising, from multigenerational family journeys to around the world private jet trips and tailor-made, custom journeys for the independent traveler. For more information visit www.SmithsonianJourneys.org

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SOURCE Smithsonian Student Adventures