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Cultural Connections Trip: National - Part 2

New York City & Boston

We believe that giving students the opportunity to explore and grow in their understanding of their own culture, its history, and their nation’s capital is essential to developing their understanding of civic duty, their identity as U.S. citizens, and their ability to think globally.

From two iconic American cities, they'll explore how events like the Revolutionary War shaped both America's past - as well as its present and future in a global context. Students will visit places that have made America into the melting pot it is today, the bedrock of our financial institution, and our recent history at the 9/11 Memorial. They'll also learn about how these locations create vital links between past events and future possibilities – both for Americans as well as nations around globe!

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6th Grade:
April 12 - 16, 2026

2026 Trip Details

Email to Parents: Wednesday, Mar 18, 2026

Sixth Grade Parents,

We are about a few weeks away before your son departs for an exciting and unforgettable educational journey to New York City and Boston.

We are including a few updates and reminders for you below. Please carefully read all the details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please take time to review the most frequently asked questions about the trip.

Trip Leaders and Groups:

Tony Rudzena, Palmer Albertine, Jason Hewer, Luke Wise, Rachel Bishop, Jenny Stenberg, and Emily Lequerica.

Each faculty member will serve as the equivalent to a camp counselor while traveling to and from NYC and Boston. Each faculty member will be assigned a few boys to their group. PDS will send a list of groups and assigned faculty members in our next communication at the beginning of April.

If you have any questions, please email or contact your group leader once groups are released.

Packing List

Boys will follow the PDS dress code while traveling. We ask that each boy bring a PDS hoodie or long sleeve PDS shirt for a couple of group pictures.

Each student is to have one suitcase and one backpack. The average temperatures in NYC for early April are: 64°F (High) and 45°F (Low). For Boston: 57°F (High) and 41°F (Low). Please be mindful of the temperatures as you pack for the trip.

  • Backpack
  • Raincoat / poncho (no umbrellas)
  • We will take two group photos while on the trip in PDS attire. We will notify the boys of the days they are to wear PDS attire. We ask that each boy bring a PDS hoodie or long sleeve PDS shirt.
  • Each day of the trip will follow PDS dress code.
  • 1 pair comfortable walking shoes
  • Sleeping attire
  • Spending money (small bills if possible) / secure wallet
  • Toiletry items (toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, brush/comb).
  • Camera
  • Medication (if needed) in ziploc bag labeled

THINGS NOT TO BRING

  • Pillows
  • Blankets
  • Sleeping bags
  • Phones / tablet / computers

Flights

Arrive at Memphis International Airport at 4:15AM for check-in on Sunday, April 12th. Once group leaders have checked-in each boy, they will pass through security together. In order to not overcrowd the Airport Check-In Area, we ask all parents to say goodbye to their son right after their son is checked in with their chaperone.

Flights

Flight Departure – United

  • UA537 12 April 2026
  • MEM 6:15AM (Depart) to IAH 08:11AM (Arrive)
  • UA678 12 April 2026
  • IAH 9:52AM (Depart) to LGA 2:29 PM (Arrive)

Flight Return – Southwest

  • WN0961 16 April 2026.
  • BOS 7:10AM (Depart) to MDW 9:00AM (Arrive)
  • WN1433 16 April 2026.
  • MDW 10:00AM (Depart) to MEM 11:40AM (Arrive)

Hotels

AC Hotel by Marriott New York Downtown
151 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038

Cambridge Marriott
50 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02142

Remind App

Pictures of the boys’ experiences in NYC and Boston will be sent via the Remind app. Please text 81010 with message: @pdsnyc26 or click this link.

IDs for the Flight

PDS will provide a school ID for each boy’s air travel. These will be given to each boy once they arrive at the airport and check-in with their group and designated faculty member.

Food Costs

The cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be each boy’s responsibility. We typically will eat at food courts. We suggest that each person budget $60 daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks ($10 for breakfast, and $20 for lunch and $20 for dinner, $10 for snacks).

You may wish to send cash with your son (if so, please place it in an envelope). His group leader will help him keep track of his meals and budget.

This is an excellent opportunity to foster independence in our boys. If you are concerned about your son keeping up with his money, you may give this to his group leader at the airport. They will distribute his money as needed.

If you prefer to send him with a credit card, please let your group leader know. We highly suggest using a Greenlight card. Boys have been having trouble with Gift Cards at many food venues in the past few trips, so we will strongly encourage you to NOT use a gift card.

Packing List

Each student is to have one suitcase and one backpack. The average temperatures in NYC for early April are: 64°F (High) and 45°F (Low). For Boston: 57°F (High) and 41°F (Low). Please be mindful of the temperatures as you pack for the trip.

  • Backpack
  • Raincoat / poncho (no umbrellas)
  • We will take two group photos while on the trip in PDS attire. We will notify the boys of the days they are to wear PDS attire. We ask that each boy bring a PDS hoodie or long sleeve PDS shirt.
  • Each day of the trip will follow PDS dress code.
  • 1 pair comfortable walking shoes
  • Sleeping attire
  • Spending money (small bills if possible) / secure wallet
  • Toiletry items (toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, brush/comb).
  • Camera
  • Medication (if needed) in ziploc bag labeled

THINGS NOT TO BRING

  • Pillows
  • Blankets
  • Sleeping bags
  • Phones / tablet / computers
FAQ's
911
central-park2
wall-street
IMG 5444
statue-of-liberty
broadway
harvard
IMG 5570
liberty-bell
times-square
IMG 5677
independence-hall
bull
He Scholarship

The He Family Scholarship for Cultural Expeditions

He Family Foundation

With the expansion of the PDS Cultural Expeditions Program, we desire for every boy to participate and have these seminal experiences. Through the He Family Scholarship provided by the He Family Foundation, boys with financial need are able to step into historical spaces and cities to understand the culture and experience those locations play in our history.

The He Family Scholarship for Cultural Expeditions is a need based scholarship providing over 10 students the opportunity to participate in the Cultural Expeditions Program.

Each student receiving the scholarship submits a short reflection paper on his time and learning on the respective trip.

Apply for Scholarship

Itinerary

Day 1

Flight from Memphis to NYC
Recess in Central Park
Guided Tour of Times Square
Visit Top of the Rock

Day 2

Tour of Liberty & Ellis Islands
Founding Fathers Tour: Wall St., Federal Hall, & Trinity Church
Tour 9/11 Memorial & Museum

Day 3

Tour the United Nations
Grand Central Terminal
Midtown Walking Tour: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NY Public Library, and Theatre District
American Museum of Natural History
Brooklyn Bridge

Day 4

Charter Bus transfer to Boston
Recess in Cambridge Common
Tour Harvard University & MIT

Day 5

Tour of Freedom Trail: Boston Common, Park Street Church, King’s Chapel, Boston Latin School, Old State House, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, Old North Church, USS Constitution, Bunker Hill Monument Boston Tea Party Tour Cambridge Walking Tour

Day 6

Flight from Boston to Little Rock
Charter Bus from Little Rock to Memphis

Frequently Asked Questions

Are scholarships available for Cultural Expeditions Trips?

Our goal is for every boy to experience the benefits of joining this program and preparing them to be a global citizen. Scholarships are available.

Please use this form to apply for a scholarship.

PDS will utilize the same information provided for your Variable Tuition application to determine eligibility and scholarship amount for Cultural Expedition Program. If you are applying for a CEP Scholarship and not enrolled in our variable tuition program, please contact the Business Office for more information.

SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE

The deadline to apply for a scholarship is April 3, 2023.
What do we visit on the trip?
We try to provide the students with a balance of historical, cultural, and governmental sites tempered by a fun way of experiencing this from biking the city to investigative walking tours. See the sample itinerary for all the exciting sites boys will visit.
Which faculty will chaperone the NYC/Boston trip?
Mr. Tony Rudzena oversees the trip and will be accompanied by several faculty. Prior to the trip, we will notify parents of the various faculty members attending. Faculty act in a similar capacity to a camp counselor if your son has been to a summer camp. Throughout the trip, each boy will be part of a smaller group supervised by a faculty member. Communications will be sent during the trip via Remind App with pictures of your son each day.
What are the dates for the NYC/Boston Trip?
April 6 - 11, 2025
How will hotel rooms be supervised?

Hotel rooms will be monitored by chaperones. Additionally, each night a security guard is present on the floor in the hotel that’s booked for PDS boys. Typically, there will only be two boys per room. All rooms are sequestered on a floor with chaperones and a security guard present throughout each night.

What is the cost of the 2025 NYC/Boston Trip?

The cost is $2500 covering flights, hotels, charter buses, tour guides, and chaperones. Food costs (except breakfasts) and souvenirs are excluded.

Is the Cultural Expeditions Trip required?
Our desire is for every boy of PDS to experience many of the most important sites in the founding of our country.  While Cultural Expeditions Trips are not mandatory, they are an essential component of PDS culture and curriculum. Students not electing to participate in the program will complete the same curriculum and engage in project-based learning on campus.
What type of ID should I bring?

We will provide students with a student ID that is sufficient for airline travel within the United States.

Is the cost of food included in our trip?

The cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be each boy’s responsibility. We suggest each student budget $60 daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. In order to help you budget with food costs, we will give a precise schedule of meals prior to the trip. Boys typically bring cash and often a credit card or a mix of both. Faculty will help boys look after and allocate their money as needed or requested.

How much money should I bring?

$60 Dollars a day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks

This is an excellent opportunity to foster independence in our boys. If you are concerned about your son keeping up with his money, you may give this to his group leader at the airport. They will distribute his money as needed. 

If you prefer to send him with a credit card, please let your group leader know. We highly suggest using a Greenlight card. Boys have been having trouble with Gift Cards at many food venues in the past few trips, so we will strongly encourage you to NOT use a gift card.

What should I wear?

We recommend dressing with layers that can be removed or worn as the weather dictates, such as a PDS collared shirt and sweatshirt with a rainproof windbreaker.  We always provide a packing list of items to be worn on the trip.  We are not traveling to Siberia, but remember that your extremities tend to get cold first so plan accordingly. We walk 7+ miles a day so it is essential that everyone wear a good pair of walking shoes.  If you plan to purchase these prior to the trip, we suggest that you wear them a few times to break them in before the trip to avoid blisters. The packing list will be sent several weeks before the trip.

Is there a dress code on the trip?

Yes. Each day we follow PDS dress code.  

Additionally, no baseball caps are allowed.

Where is the hotel located?

Each year is typically different, depending on hotel availability. 

How much walking is there on the trip?

It’s safe to assume that you will walk on average 7+ miles a day. Since we travel primarily by Metro, it requires that we walk from our hotel to the Metro to every site on the itinerary.  We make this an active trip for boys to harness their energy and keep them engaged.

What electronics am I allowed to bring?

Electronics are not allowed on Cultural Expedition Trips. Daily communications are sent through Remind App and trip chaperones.

Am I allowed to carry a backpack to the places we visit?

Yes. However, your bag will be examined and at some federal buildings you are not allowed to bring drinks inside. Chaperones will communicate what is allowed in bags before visiting federal buildings.  

Am I allowed to check-in early for my flight?

No.  We will check in as a group on the day of our departure.  Please do not attempt to check-in early online

For more information on our Cultural Expeditions program, contact Tony Rudzena.