Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay Lake, stands in the front row, far left, with Lake Placid Elementary School fifth-grade students and teachers at the state Capitol building in Albany in the spring. (Provided photo)

The Lake Placid Elementary School’s fifth-grade class was able to enjoy two trips this past school year, courtesy of the Lake Placid Educational Opportunity Fund.

In the fall, the fifth graders attended a performance of “Aladdin” at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady. In the spring, they had an educational experience visiting the federal courthouse in Albany, the state Capitol building and the New York State Museum. Both of these trips were made possible by the Ed Op Fund and its supporters.

The fall outing is always a cultural trip to expose students to new experiences. For many of our students, it is their first chance to see a full professional theatrical production. The trip is at no cost to any of the students and includes the theater performance, a state park visit and dinner at Latham 76 Diner.

Each year, the school picks one matinee show at Proctors. They leave school at 8:30 a.m. and stop at a state park to enjoy lunch and an informational presentation. After lunch, they head to Proctors Theatre in downtown Schenectady.

Following the show, they are treated to a sitdown dinner, where they work on manners and restaurant etiquette.

Lake Placid Elementary School fifth-grade students look at the 9/11 exhibit at the New York State Museum in Albany during a class trip in the spring. (Provided photo)

They return to Lake Placid Elementary school around 8:30 p.m. It is a long day for the students, but their excitement and enthusiasm carries them through the day. As one student stated at the end of the day, “This was the best day of my life.”

The second trip of the year is more focused on educational experiences for the students. The trips usually include visits to the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage near Wilton, the New York State Capitol Building and the New York State Museum. This year, the students were fortunate to experience the Federal Courthouse with Judge Mae D’Agostino as the guest speaker. They also had the unique experience of sitting on the New York Legislative floor while the chamber debated a bill and voted on the bill. This was courtesy of Assemblyman Billy Jones, who had arranged for the students to sit on the chamber floor during the session. The students were also welcomed to the chamber by the Majority leader and acknowledged by the legislative speaker. All of these experiences correlate with the New York State Curriculum for public schools.

The Ed Op Fund is committed to provide extensive annual experiences that they believe will make a difference in the lives of students in our community. The goal of the fund is to close the “opportunity gap” by lowering the barriers raised by inequities in wealth and privilege. Providing cultural experiences for all students helps to promote equality through education. Experiences like these stimulate new ideas and help kids learn about themselves and the world around them.

The Ed Op Fund hopes to be able to endow these fifth-grade trips so that no future fifth graders will miss out on this experience. The cost to endow the trip is approximately $125,000. With the help of a North Elba LEAF grant and a generous donation from Stewart’s Shops, they are now within $25,000 of that goal. If you would like to contribute, donations can be made through the Ed Op Fund website: edopfund.org.

(Jon Fremante is a fifth-grade teacher at Lake Placid Elementary School, and Sibyl Quayle is a vice president of Lake Placid Central School District’s Educational Opportunity Fund.)

Lake Placid Elementary School fifth graders visit the state Capitol in Albany. (Provided photo)

Lake Placid Elementary School fifth graders visit the state Capitol in Albany. (Provided photo)

Lake Placid Elementary School fifth graders visit the state Capitol in Albany. (Provided photo)