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2009 Web projects
Students created a website after the first inaugural college tour to Washington, DC in 2009.

2019 Trip FAQ
Travel Dates

We will visit Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland (and surrounding areas) from April 22 through April 27, 2019. We'll take a red eye flight departing from either SFO or OAK (to be determined) on, Sunday, April 21, and return sometime on Saturday, April 27. This time period was chosen to ensure each college we visit will be in session (we're trying to avoid spring break and finals), and to schedule as far out to minimize inclement weather (we've been very lucky on previous tours). Specific travel times will be provided once they're confirmed.


Payments

Parents should budget $1200 for the total trip. Any money raised by students (through the chocolate candy fundraiser for example) is deducted from this amount. Payment amounts (and dates) are:
- $150 (Nov 15)
- $200 (Dec 7)
- $200 (Jan 17)
- $200 (Feb 14)
- $450 (Mar 28)

These dates are optional, however, we must receive a total of $500 by Jan 17, and $1200 by Mar 28.


Requirements to Participate

Students must remain in good academic standings and have no school infractions. Families must be in good financial standings.


Airline Tickets

Tickets will be purchased sometime after January 1. The first and second deposits are used to secure tickets. This could happen ANYTIME after January 1; it could be January 2nd or two months later. We will begin looking for low price tickets and the moment we find them we're going to make a purchase. These tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. So if for any reasons YOUR CHILD CAN'T ATTEND, the ticket cost is lost.


Chaperones

At our January meeting, we'll finalize the chaperones, but chaperones should expect to pay about $700, and as has been emphasized should expect to work the ENTIRE trip. Chaperones must have their money for tickets by the January date as well.



Chocolate Fundraiser
Select a Student:


Middle School College Tour

Middle school students visit the nation's capital and Atlanta/Alabama area in their three years in middle school. The trips are designed to provide young students with an early exposure to college, visit historical landmarks, have fun, learn to plan and organzie, and further build friendships.

The full itinerary for the 2023 Atlanta/Alabama college tour will be posted by early February, so stay tuned
 

  

A Trip to the South African Embassy

Our first trip to an embassy - we had a wonderful visit at the South African Embassy, along with tours to several colleges. For the first time we visited Coppin State University, and had just our second trip to Morgan State University.

Now That Was a Semiformal

Probably the best semiformal ever! We were able to book a restaurant/club, and we had the entire venue to ourselves. And a DJ! We visited Morris Brown for the first time, and met with the president, where we provided a $500 donation to assist the school in its efforts to regain certification. This was also our first time visiting Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

First Trip to Virginia

In two previous DC trips the school never ventured south of Washington, DC. This time however, we toured both Hampton University and Norfolk State University for the first times. We also had 3 Ile Omode alums attending Howard University, and received our own personal tour.

Most students

At the time, the 2014 was the most students who had ever attended a Ile Omode college tour - 20 students in all! We also visited the most colleges ever - touring the grounds of 7 colleges in Georgia and Alabama.

We visited the most schools during this trip. Our itinerary:

  • MONDAY: Glady's Knight Chicken and Waffles
  • TUESDAY: Morehouse, Spelman, and Clark-Atlanta
  • WEDNESDAY: Georgia State, CNN
  • THURSDAY: Tuskegee, Alabama State, Tuskegee Airmen Museum

Our Second DC Trip

The trip coincided with DC's "Emancipation Day", a local celebration to observe Abraham Lincoln's signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act, and also a time to push for DC statehood. The local holiday was promoted by DC Councilman Vincent Orange, an Oakland native. After meeting our group we received a personal tour of the DC Council chambers and a personal invitation to visit the Capitol.

First Atlanta Trip

The school's first trip to the south, and it was great. Our students saw the three historic schools which comprise the Atlanta University Center - Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark-Atlanta University. They skated at the Cascade, featured in the movie, "ATL", and they ate at Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles restaurant where they met Tommy Ford, who played "Tommy" on the 90s sitcom, Martin.

First College Tour

Our school's first ever college tour. The first trip included only 9 students, and was originally planned for just several 8th graders, but we decided to include 7th graders as well, and by the following trip all middle school students were eligible to attend.

The Colleges

The colleges may vary slightly across each tour, but there are always some mainstays to our trip.

Washington, DC: We always visit Howard University in Washington, DC. We have also visited Georgetown University, and the University of the District of Columbia. In previous years we visited Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and in 2016 we took our first trip to Virginia, where we toured Hampton University and Norfolk State Univeristy.

Atlanta/Alabama: The Atlanta college tour includes Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark-Atlanta University. We have also visited Georgia State University and Georgia Tech University in Atlanta; as well as Alabama State University and Tuskegee University in Alabama.

Why Do We Go?

Because it's fun. Because college should be the definitive goal of every child, and the best way to accomplish this goal is to allow students to experience college.

Since the first trip the vast majority of students have attended college, and even more have attended HBCUs including Howard University, Grambling University, Prairie-View University, and Clark-Atlanta University.

A Trip Every Student Can Afford

With one exception, each trip has cost less than $800 per student, and this cost includes airfare, vehicle rentals, hotel accomondation, food, and entry into any venues - everything except spending money for souvenirs. Comparable trips run at least $3,000. Although it more recent years, the cost has climbed towards $1,200.

While many parents are able to pay for the trip over several installments throughout the year, the school also offers a chocolate candy fundraiser for families who would like their children to help with paying for the cost or who simply can not afford the trip.

Over the years, a number of children have raised over a $1,000 for their trip. The chocolate fundraiser is optional, and students have taken different approaches to raising funds. Students have begun "GoFundMe" campaigns, and one student sold baked goods weekly at school.

We want to do everything possible to ensure every student has an opportunity to participate.