Posted: 5/4/2016 | May 4th, 2016
I believe that the world is big, beautiful, and full of possibilities. The more people that understand that (especially from a young age), the better all of our futures will be.
Travel is a powerful force in making that happen. Travel opens minds and expands world views. That’s why, last year, I launched a nonprofit that sends students from schools in underserved communities on educational overseas trips. It’s called FLYTE (The Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education).
While many nonprofits focus on big schools in big cities, I wanted to create a program where teachers from anywhere — including small rural towns and the ‘burbs, as well as big cities — can apply and get access to funding. From urban NYC to rural North Dakota, any teacher working in a school with limited funding resources can apply.
In 2015, we fundraised over $15,000 and helped send students learning Spanish at the BEST Academy in Atlanta to Mexico for a two-week immersion trip! It was amazing, and the students had a life-changing experience.
Two weeks ago, I took the train down to Washington, D.C., to meet students from Anacostia High School who will be going on FLYTE’s next trip. This school is located in Southeast D.C, one of the roughest areas in the city. The area has one of the highest crime and poverty rates in the country. As teacher Kathrine Avila, who submitted Anacostia’s application, says:
“In the area in which I teach, most students’ personal goals are limited to a range of about five years. As a result of their circumstances, most students are not exposed to the possibilities outside their immediate surroundings. The main focus for students at Anacostia is to graduate, as the rate of graduation lingered at approximately 46% for the 2014–2015 school year. For many of my students, traveling abroad alongside their peers and teachers is somewhat of an unreachable dream.”
You and I both know the power of travel and what a positive impact traveling has had on our lives (in fact, it’s probably why you’re reading this blog!) — it has made us better people and opened us up to a world of possibility. Travel expands horizons, breaks down prejudices, teaches us about other cultures, and makes us realize we can dream dreams — and actually make those dreams come true.
But for many people, travel is something they will never be able to do. They just don’t have the means. And our society also thinks that vacations are expensive, and that travel is a luxury for only the few. In towns and cities across America, youths like the ones at Anacostia HS haven’t been shown that travel is within their realm of possibility. So how could a teenager, dependent on free lunch, know that traveling could be within their reach? That it is something that they can strive for?
That’s where FLYTE comes in.
We can help provide them with an experience that would not be possible with just the resources of their school alone. We can help change their lives, make them dreamers, and create more global-minded travelers. By going abroad, students will realize that there are a lot of opportunities beyond their communities.
Today, we are formally launching our campaign to raise money to send 12 students and 4 chaperones on a nine-day trip to Cuba! Here are the kids:
(There are only nine here because some couldn’t get out of class. Also featured are the principal, vice-principal, and teacher.)
All the students on this trip are members of Anacostia’s International Club and have spent the past school year researching and preparing for their trip to Cuba this August. Normally, the school can only fundraise enough for two students to go, but by hitting our fundraising goal of $35,000, ten more students will get to go to Cuba!
World Nomads, my favorite travel insurance provider, has agreed to proudly support this trip by covering the cost of the students’ travel insurance. They’ve been the preferred insurance company of this website for years, and I’m super glad they are getting involved! Travendly, a tour company from NYC, is crafting an incredible itinerary and providing all the tour and accommodations planning for the trip — at cost too!
FLYTE is taking flight, and we are supporting real schools going on actual trips! Your donation isn’t going to some amorphous idea I had last summer — it’s going to help this very group of students from Southeast DC get to Cuba!
So far we’ve raised $5,100 (which is awesome) but we have a long way to go! If you have been debating whether or not to donate, please know that 100% goes directly to funding this great group of students. I am personally covering all of FLYTE’s administrative costs, and I’ll match donations up to $10,000! (And, now that we’ve become a full-fledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your donation is tax-deductible!)
It was incredible and heartwarming that we were able to fund the BEST Academy trip to Mexico. Now I’m asking you to remember what a difference traveling has made in your life and give that gift to the students at Anacostia.
The fact that we can travel shows just how privileged we are. We’re doing something most of the world’s population will never have a chance to do. Yes, we work hard and save, but for so many young people, travel is a pipe dream because they’ve never been shown it’s a possibility.
Well, let’s do something. Let’s give back. Let’s help others. Let’s be a community of travelers that promotes global citizenship and show the youth of tomorrow that there is more to embrace overseas than there is to be afraid of.
(All the students at the senior class assembly when they announced the Cuba trip!)
I’m really passionate about this project and hope you are too. A $10 donation helps teachers and students experience the educational trip of a lifetime, all for less than the cost of a meal at Chipotle!
(Feel free to give more though! We’ve had donations of up to $2,500!!!! There’s no limit!!).
If everyone gave just $10, we could fund dozens of trips. That’s all I’m asking. A simple, $10 donation. If you’ve ever gotten value from this website, saved money, or been inspired, then join with me and let’s give that to these kids. $10. That’s it. Two fewer beers on the road can help these kids – and the millions like them – see the world! Help us reach our goal!
I’m asking you to help send the Anacostia HS students of DC on the trip of a lifetime — whether by sharing this with your friends, posting it on social media, forwarding it to a reporter, or (of course) donating.
We have a chance to make a difference in the next generation. Let’s step forward and help these students take what they’ve learned in school and see it in the real world.
Many thousands of thank-yous,
Matt
P.S. – Did I mention we’re a 501(c)(3), so all your donations are tax deductible? Yeah? Good. Just making sure you know!
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Need to book your trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. The are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
Photo Credit: 1 – Miguel Discart
Jen
I really enjoy all of the guides, book and t-shirt that I received with my $50 donation. Thank You!
How about adding the travel writing course as an additional incentive to donate? 🙂
I’m not teaching next year but I told everyone at my school about this program. I hope some of my students in my semi-rural school district get a chance to travel one day.
John
Great work Matt! Awesome idea.
Angie Briggs
Wow Matt, you truly are an inspiration, especially to people like me who are bloggers travelling the world and writing about our adventures. You show that it is possible to give back to the world for all the joy it has given us.
This is a massive project and one that will change the lives of many. I fully support you and hope you continue with your amazing work as long as you possibly can!
Natalie
Awesome! I shared this on Twitter!
Nidhi Goyal
Hii
Wow Matt, you genuinely are a motivation, particularly to individuals like me who are bloggers venturing to the far corners of the planet and expounding on our experiences. You demonstrate that it is conceivable to offer back to the world for all the delight it has given us.
This is a huge venture and one that will change the lives of numerous. I completely bolster you and trust you proceed with your stunning work the length of you can!
REGARDS
NIDHI GOYAL
SURBHI
Hii
I truly appreciate the greater part of the aides, book and shirt that I got with my $50 gift. Much thanks to You!
What about including the travel composing course as an extra motivation to give? ?
I’m not instructing one year from now but rather I enlightened everybody at my school concerning this system. I trust some of my understudies in my semi-rustic school region get an opportunity to travel one day.
REGARDS
SURBHI
Drew Meyers
Hey Matt
Love to see those with big audiences using that reach to promote giving back, and helping those less fortunate than ourselves.
Travel, and the life we live in the developed world, is a fairy tale to the vast majority of the world\’s population. I\’m a huge advocate for anything that helps unlock opportunities for those who would never have the chance otherwise.
Jess L
Matt,
This is amazing! I stand behind this 100% and really love what you’re doing. I’m a future teacher (hopefully in foreign languages or ESL) and I want to encourage students to keep an open mind. Nothing speaks to an open mind like travel and I believe that these students will take away so much from this experience. Consider this backed. Anything to help students expand their horizons.
Irene
Good work, Matt.
Best Wishes for your work in Austin – that’s where your hostel is, right?
Important – how can I request to have no bonus gift for my donation?
I’m excited for these kids to get to Cuba – it will be history-in-the-making. Super!
NomadicMatt
Thanks everyone for the support!
EKP
Matt-
I think this whole program is fantastic, but as a long time DC resident one sentence did give me a chuckle. ” This school is located in Southeast D.C, one of the roughest areas in the city.” This is a bit inaccurate. Anacostia is in SE and most would agree that it is one of the “roughest areas of the city”, but SE also includes about half of Capital Hill, which is the home of really expensive real estate, fancy cheese shops, famers markets, etc. You get the picture…
Mary
Good work Matt! It’s nice to see people who are influential in the digital world tries to make a difference and help the world to be a better place <3
Amber Gillies
Wow.. this literally brought tears to my eyes. I was just having a conversation yesterday about this very topic and how important traveling is to cultivating more tolerance in the world.
I am so thrilled I stumbled upon this post and would love to be involved with FLYTE in any way I can beyond just donating! This is truly a fantastic mission that could have a global impact. <3
Georgette Jupe-Pradier
This is awesome Matt, I’m an avid follower of yours and I definitely will share this around.