What if your students’ next trip wasn’t just a trip, but a chance for them to earn college credit while discovering the stories that shaped our country?

School Tours of America is thrilled to introduce our new student credit program, The STA Compass Course, an open-enrollment, self-paced program designed for students in grades 9 through 12. This program allows students to step outside the classroom and immerse themselves in history. As they explore our nation’s most iconic landmarks, they will use their travel experiences to earn college credit through our partnership with Adams State University.

Travel

Learn

On a School Tours of America trip, students are not just sightseeing; they are learning through experience.  Students will return inspired, curious, and ready to keep exploring, which is precisely what the STA Compass Course is meant to foster.

The learning outcomes for the course are:

• Recognize the historical, cultural, and educational significance of each site visited.
• Develop a guiding question that connects to their educational travel experience and personal interests.
• Conduct research and reflect on their discoveries to build a deeper understanding of what they’ve seen and learned.

Think of this course as a Genius Hour project, but amplified and more immersive. The course typically takes approximately 15 hours to complete, excluding travel time. Students will choose an essential question before they leave for their trip. They will shoot videos and take pictures along the way that will help with their final project. Upon returning home, they will continue to conduct research, reflect on their findings, and design a final video project that effectively communicates their learning and perspective.

Earn

So how does it work?

Before the trip, students enroll in the course and connect with Jamie Schoenbauer, the Instructor of Record, to review the syllabus and step-by-step course expectations. Together, they will develop the student’s essential question, the focus of their research, and plan how to gather meaningful footage and observations while on tour.

After returning home, students continue their research and build their final video project, which they will turn in for grading. Once grades are finalized, the Instructor of Record will submit them to Adams State University. At this point, students will officially register with ASU and pay the $55 tuition. They can then request an official transcript as proof of completion, which will strengthen their future college applications, scholarship opportunities, and résumés.

The Compass Course is not just about earning college credit, though that is a great bonus. It is about helping students connect classroom learning to the world around them, building fundamental skills in research, communication, and creativity, and discovering just how powerful learning through travel can be. Get your students started today at https://www.schooltoursofamerica.com/students/compass-course.  

Don’t forget that Group Leaders earn, too! When you travel with STA, you can earn 1.5 graduate-level credits OR TWO CEUs per trip—and the best part? It’s 100% FREE. Travel, inspire students, and invest in your own professional growth at the same time. Win-win!