TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — When the students from the Tucson Unified School District stepped off the bus at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, they entered a world where botany meets art — and thanks to the nonprofit Act One, the field trip didn’t cost their school a dime.
“Teachers can sign up for our field trips. If they’re a Title I school, it’s completely free,” said Emanuel Class, field-trip operations manager at Act One. The organization assists qualifying schools — usually those with at least 40 % of students on free or reduced-price lunch — by covering admission and helping with transportation.
Since its inception, Act One has made tens of thousands of free field trips possible across Arizona, with its mission to “create and provide access to quality arts experiences enhancing the lives of Arizona’s children and families.”
On this trip, two local TUSD classes explored a collection featuring the life and work of Frida Kahlo inside the gardens, blending art with the natural world. Senior Isimbi Joyeuse of Palo Verde High School summed it up. “I think that it’s amazing because it’s history. And it’s something that generations need to learn since it’s beautiful,” Joyeuse said.
Teacher Brenna Camping, who brought a creative writing class on the excursion, echoed the sentiment: “It’s my first time doing an Act One field trip. I’ve done other field trips in the past and it was a struggle to get things funded. And this was much breezier.”
For many schools, the cost and logistics of field trips can be major obstacles — especially for Title I campuses. Act One’s model streamlines the experience: qualifying teachers apply, and the nonprofit coordinates admissions, scheduling and reimburses private-bus costs (though schools are encouraged to use district transportation).
As Class observed, it’s often the subtle moments that matter most: “The most popular trips by volume are … The Nutcracker … and the Tetra String Quartet. … We filled the Orpheum Theater … hosted 850 students. And at the end of the concert … all 800 students were singing at the top of their lungs … there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. It was moving and powerful and it echoes into their lives.”
With programs spanning live performances, museum visits and now virtual-reality experiences, Act One is opening doors to arts-rich experiences — and on this sunny morning at the botanical gardens, the value of that opportunity was on full display.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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