With COVID-19, school restrictions have become tighter and tighter meaning that classes at Naples High School are no longer allowed to take field trips due to these necessary guidelines. As an alternative, Collier County schools are now only offering virtual field trips during school.
One class that not only had guest speakers last year, but also went to Washington D.C. for a journalism convention, has completely switched to virtual field trips this year.
“We will not be traveling anywhere outside of campus,” journalism and TV production teacher Richard Parlier said. “It is during school hours and students will virtually join while in the media center.”
Many teachers like engineering teacher Coach Greer, would argue that students are missing something the class has to offer without field trips.
“Hands on and in-person experience of these field trips is valuable,” Greer said.
Greer’s classes used to visit different worksites of various engineering disciplines to help further students’ understanding of what could potentially come of the information learned in his class.
Due to COVID-19, many of these interactive experiences at Naples High have been canceled or delayed.
“I think that it is unfortunate that students are missing certain experiences because of COVID-19, and I hope that these can be reinstated over time,” Assistant Principal Amanda Holderfield said. “We hope to see a return of field trips, but it will depend on a lot of factors.”
