2019 Upward Bound California Program
Travel Dates: | May 15, 2019 - May 19, 2019 |
Group Organizer(s): |
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WTT Contact: |
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Program Tuition: | $1,790 USD |
Deadline(s): | Enrollment deadline forthcoming |
Important Reminders
Passport check
Insurance Reminder
Fundraiser
Review all materials
What to Expect
Please read through all of the information below. More details will be added as your departure draws closer.
Itinerary
We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers and given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group.
Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
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May 15 | Denver - Los Angeles - Santa Cruz | The group arrives early into LA where we'll hop on our bus and drive north to Santa Cruz to begin our California adventure. Along the way we'll pay visits to UC Santa Barbara and CSU San Luis Obispo taking tours of their campuses and hearing about their individual strengths as universities. We will arrive in Santa Cruz just in time for dinner and time to get some ice cream at Penny's Ice Creamery! | Beach Street Inn & Suites |
May 16 | Santa Cruz | We have a relaxing morning and find time to marvel at the famous Mystery Spot where a gravitational vortex distorts perception to an unsettling degree. We then head to UC Santa Cruz for lunch and an uphill walking tour of UC Santa Cruz. After exploring campus we'll have a free afternoon to explore the Santa Cruz boardwalk, beaches and all the wackiness that abounds in town, including loads of funky shops and art galleries. | Beach Street Inn & Suites |
May 17 | Santa Cruz - San Francisco | We are off to Stanford University, labeled the Harvard of the West and then check out the influence of big tech companies in this region with a visit to the Intel Museum. Later, we check into our hotel and have dinner before finishing the evening by exploring Union Square and China Town nearby for some shopping and fun! | Tilden Hotel |
May 18 | San Francisco | In the late morning we will head over to Fisherman's Wharf before going to Alcatraz Island where some of the country's most notorious criminals spent their last days. Depending on our departure time for the island, we will either explore the waterfront's shops and museums beforehand or afterwards, or head over to the Golden Gate Bridge. In the afternoon we will visit San Francisco State University, a highly rated university in the heart of San Francisco. If time permits, we will return to the hotel to relax ahead of our workshop at 1AM, where we will spend the evening practicing our graffiti art skills. | Tilden Hotel |
May 19 | San Francisco - Denver | Early morning rise as participants make their way to Big Basin Redwood National Park and spend the day hiking amongst the biggest trees in the world and hanging out on the beach. We will fly out of nearby San Jose later this evening. | Your own bed, eventually! |
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Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe. We vet and inspect the accommodations to ensure they uphold the ethos of our programs, are great values for our travelers and nice places to rest after enriching days of travel.
Group Flight
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS FLIGHT WAS ARRANGED BY UPWARD BOUND SO PLEASE DIRECT ANY FLIGHT QUESTIONS TO THEM.
Type | Carrier Name | Carrier Code | Flight Number | Departure City | Departure Date and Time | Arrival City | Arrival Date and Time |
Outbound
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WN
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1283
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DEN – Denver International Airport, Denver, USA
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May 15, 2019 at 5:50AM
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LAX – Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, USA
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May 15, 2019 at 7:25AM
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Inbound
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WN
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590
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SJC – San Jose International Airport, San Jose, USA
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May 19, 2019 at 8:55PM
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DEN – Denver International Airport, Denver, USA
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May 20, 2019 at 12:20AM
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Once your flight has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.
Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.
Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.
We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.
FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION
Air travel can be unpredictable. Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc. Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route. Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night. Our primary role will be to keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a quick and effective resolution.
Host Community and Project Details
Packing List
What follows is a sample packing list, which will be updated for each program. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on hikes, weekend excursions and shorter activities.
Most importantly, be sure to remember your PASSPORT and STUDENT ID.
CLOTHES:
Underwear
Socks
T-shirts, tank tops or work shirts
Long sleeve shirts
Sweatshirt/jacket
Shorts
Jeans/pants
Swimsuit
Rain jacket
Sturdy shoes (appropriate for lots of walking/athletic activity)
Sports sandals ie Chacos/Tevas etc. (optional)
Flip flops (optional)
Hat
TOILETRIES: BRING THE BASIC TOILETRIES YOU NEED PLUS:
Bring the BASIC toiletries you need plus:
Sunscreen
Band aids and Neosporin and other basic first aid supplies
Hand Sanitizer
MISCELLANEOUS:
Sunglasses
Journal and pen
Quick dry towel
Book/s
Alarm Clock and watch
Visa/MasterCard debit card or US dollars (we recommend students bring between $100-$200, depending on amount of desired souvenirs, extra items etc.)
Durable water bottle
Flashlight/headlamp
Batteries
Support Team
At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional support staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find a list of the team members involved in the planning, organizing, and leadership of your program.
Tommy Tyson
Country Director, Country Operations Manager - Peru
University of Denver – B.A. Spanish, Minors in History and Hebrew
Currently based in Minnesota, where he is originally from, Tommy works in the Country Operations department at Walking Tree Travel. His hobbies include camping, snowboarding, basketball and traveling. Fluent in Spanish, he first developed his love of languages and Latin American culture at the age of ten on a mission trip in Mexico. This experience and subsequent trips to follow inspired him to study Spanish and pursue development work in other areas of Latin America as well. Tommy gained valuable experience as a middle school Spanish teacher and coach after he graduated. His experience in education encouraged him to combine his two passions of travel and education and join our team full time. He had the pleasure of living in Cusco, Peru for three years as our Country Director and has enjoyed planning and guiding student trips ever since.
Emory University – B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History
During college, Luke spent a semester living and traveling in rural Mexico. His experience sparked a fascination with Latin America and a commitment to community service that continues to this day. Upon graduating from college, he joined WorldTeach and lived with a local family in a small village in Costa Rica while teaching elementary English. After this experience, he moved to San José, the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and wrote for The Tico Times newspaper. Luke has since traveled to over 60 countries on five different continents. Now settled in Denver with his family, he continues to crave massive helpings of rice and beans.
Bethany Fortune
University of Missouri – B.A. Anthropology with a minor in Geology
University of Wisconsin- M.A. Anthropology and Museum Studies
While growing up in a small Midwest town, Bethany couldn’t wait to get out and explore. Her first grand adventure was a summer in the Czech Republic as an archaeology field technician. This inspired her to become an educator in natural history museums and aquariums where she discovered her love of working with students. Bethany continues to teach, travel the world, and help empower young people. She is particularly passionate about ocean conservation and has fallen in love with her new home of Southern California. In her free time, she can be found SCUBA diving, hiking with her dogs, and photographing wildlife.
Group Roster
Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.
- 1 Daisy Aceves
- 2 Jazmin Arce
- 3 Jimmy Lee
- 4 Julieta Herrera
- 5 Karina Gonzalez
- 6 Kelly Velasquez
- 7 Kimberly Gonzalez
- 8 Leslie Garcia
- 9 Mario Perez
- 10 Miguel Arguijo
- 11 Miguel Rico
- 12 Paola Leos
- 13 Rafael Duarte
- 14 Sarai Gonzalez
- 15 Tatianna Wilson
- 16 Vianney Ocampo
- 17 Viviana Retana
- 18 Yamilex Garcia-Adame
- 19 Zitlali Mendoza Chavez
- 20 Zulema Vargas
Blog and Communication
During travel we will work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blogs and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program. Students regularly contribute to these posts, giving parents a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will receive an email notification when the first blog is posted, after which we recommend you check in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this page.
Beyond this proactive approach to communication during the trip, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants semi-regular access to WiFi so you can also expect to communicate with your traveler directly. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.
GLC Curriculum
Walking Tree has developed a curriculum of activities meant to help travelers get the most out of their trip before departure, during travel and after they return home. These simple and engaging activities are meant to spark discussion, frame experiences, and prepare participants to travel ethically and effectively both on this trip and on future adventures.For more information about student learning objectives and the format of the curriculum, click on the ‘learn more’ button below.
To view and complete the Pre-Program Activities, visit our online portal at the button below.
Standards of Behavior
In order to run a safe and successful program, it is important that we create an environment of trust, security and respect. All individuals participating in our programs are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of behavioral conduct.
ABSOLUTE DISMISSAL
- Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Associating with participants while they are in possession of, or are consuming, or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety.
- This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE
- Getting a piercing or tattoo.
- Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
- Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
- Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
- Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
- Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
- Breaking group rules.
These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.
Health and Safety
We strongly recommend visiting the CDC United States website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult with your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before travel.
Beyond these recommendations, our in-country staff prepare meticulously for all programs. Walking Tree will register our programs and travelers with the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) in case of emergency. In country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families via in depth interviews and home visits, and keep up on important current events in the region.
Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in a multi-day leadership training retreat. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff and U.S.-based staff.
We receive medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we are able to meet every students’ needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues that you did not list during your initial registration process. Program Leaders will also hold an online information session before your departure, as well as an arrival orientation in-country, in order to give participants important instructions on food safety, hygiene and preventing injury and illness. Leaders and in-country staff always respond immediately to any mental, physical or emotional health issues and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.
VACCINATIONS
Vaccination information and requirements can change frequently. Because of this, and for more information, we suggest that you consult your local travel clinic and/or family physician for specific details.
Insurance
While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel is never without risk. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with two additional provisions: Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and Bed Rest. Detailed explanations of both provisions can be found on the link below.
To provide families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry. Begin by getting a quote here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage with CFAR included, you must purchase the plan within 21 days of your deposit/first payment. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight.