Malabar Intermediate students and teachers on one of two charter buses smile as they leave this morning for Ohio State University in Columbus.
Two charter buses filled with Malabar Intermediate School students rolled out of the parking lot early today headed to a “college awareness” experience at Ohio State University in Columbus.
The 79 students included 67 sixth-graders and 12 fifth-graders. Assistant Principal Tom Hager said the fifth-graders were included because they are “doing exceptionally well” in the classroom.
The daylong field trip is the first of several Malabar students will enjoy as the result of a grant from the Fran and Warren Rupp Fund through the Richland County Foundation. The Rupp Fund designated $25,000 for field trip destinations that many Malabar students would not be able to realize with their families.
“It’s not too early for these students to be thinking about college. This trip is intended to create an awareness of what a college campus is like,” Hager said.
The Malabar students will tour campus, escorted by OSU representatives. They took sack lunches.
In addition to Hager, the group was accompanied by Malabar counselor Vicki Dye and teachers Kathryn Toney, Catherine Williams and Nancy Jones.
Other groups of Malabar sixth-graders, and possibly a few fifth-graders, will visit the Columbus campus on Nov. 20 and 21.
Additional field trips funded by the Rupp grant will be announced later.