“Travel is rich with learning opportunities and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective”.
Students of MRIS, Sector-46 and 51, Gurugram visited the United States, the land of liberty, from 3rd to 13th June as part of the US East Coast Career Exploratory Programme. Students explored the states of Orlando, Washington D.C., New York and Boston.
Students visited Kennedy Space Centre in Orlando, and went on a guided Space Centre bus tour and got an access to historic launch sites and observed various working space flight facilities at NASA. Interaction with the veteran astronaut Ms. Anna Lee Fischer gave students a greater insight into the life of an astronaut. Everyone was left awestruck as they saw Atlantis and its interactive gallery. The NASA tour gave the students an opportunity to know the story of humans in space. Thereafter, in the following two days they visited the Universal Studios and the Sea World. While having fun at the amusement and theme parks, students’ attention was drawn to various career possibilities available at a theme/amusement park.
Moving to Washington D.C., students were impressed by the rich historical significance of the city and they also appreciated its architectural beauty. They visited the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and gained a better understanding of human evolution through archeological traces and historical evidences present there. A guided city tour enlightened them further about the Whitehouse, Capitol Hill, Lincoln Memorial and other historical buildings and sites.
The majestic Manhattan skyline welcomed the students to New York. A ferry ride took them closer to the Statue of Liberty and its history. The imposing structure left all mesmerized. At the Wall Street, students were taken on a guided tour by former investment bankers. The tour ended with the students putting up a simulation of the Wall Street trading market. Students also attended an interactive theatre workshop conducted by theatre professionals at Broadway. Visit to the Times Square brought the students face to face with ‘the city that never sleeps’. The visit to UN headquarters provided students with an opportunity to understand international political affairs better.
The last stop in the trip was at the ‘Bean Town’ Boston. Students here got the opportunity to visit one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the US, Harvard. This was followed by students exploring the Berklee College of Music music as a career option. The career exploratory programme came to an end with a visit to the MIT that focuses primarily on STEM. Students actively participated in a hands-on robotics workshop at MIT Museum and were briefed about the admission path.
As the trip concluded, students returned to their homes richer in experience and exposure. The US jaunt helped them view various career options and processes (aerospace engineer, financial trader, archaeologist, political affairs officer, robotics engineer, theatre artist) from close quarters. They bonded with new friends, formed memories of a lifetime and now have a greater understanding of the direction to chase their dreams.
