End-of-year trips motivate student participation.
Age-appropriate eighth-grade end-of-year trips are designed to help keep students motivated to achieve throughout the years, as students must meet academic and behavioral eligibility requirements to attend. Specific eligibility requirements are created by individual schools, but some common standards include: 2.0 grade point average, no suspensions, and limited school citizenship demerits. End-of-the-year incentive trips should be extravagant enough to motivate students, but affordable enough to be paid for with limited fundraising efforts.
Amusement Park
Whether it is a full day of roller coasters or a sunny afternoon on water slides, amusement parks are an ideal eighth-grade end-of-year trip idea. These outings eliminate the need for school staff to provide entertainment during the trip, as all the rides and games are provided by the venue itself. Most amusement parks offer significant group discounts to schools, which minimizes the overall cost of the trip.
Camping
Take your eighth-graders off the grid and into the great outdoors. If you live near a river, plan a rafting trip with stops along the shore. If you do not live near rushing water, find a nice lake or a national park with a few water holes for your teens to splash around in. Select a few moderate hikes to expose your eighth-graders to nature, and make sure to have a good campfire night with s'mores and scary stories.
Lock In
It will take a large amount of planning and parent cooperation to host an end-of-the-year lock-in party for your eighth-graders. Bus your teens out to an undisclosed location like a local gym or entertainment venue and lock them in for a night full of fun. Rent a human hamster ball for kids to roll around in, set out board games, order pizza, rent a few teen flicks and organize group games like tug of war or capture the flag. Have staff members and parents serve your eighth-graders a yummy breakfast in the morning, before driving back to the school.
Service
Coordinate with a respected organization in your region that serves homeless or underprivileged individuals. Spend the weekend serving food, distributing hygiene kits and playing with marginalized children. Your eighth-graders will get a taste of altruism, while bonding with their peers. Make sure to end the trip with a fun day, where your teens get to play on a nearby beach, see a theater production or enjoy a delicious meal out.
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