On July 12, scholars from Higher Achievement DC Metro’s Alexandria Achievement Center had a blast exploring the Hilton Hotel headquarters in McLean, Va., for a Summer Academy field trip.
The experience was graciously hosted by Hilton and its employees, who gave scholars the opportunity to learn more about the hospitality industry and experience it in action through a guided tour. For some scholars it was their first time visiting a hotel, and they loved every minute of it; afterward our scholar Michael exclaimed, “I loved everything, and I can’t believe Hilton is 100 years old!”
During the field trip, the twenty rising 6th graders spent the morning visiting Hilton’s Innovation Gallery, an incubator for developing future products and ideas to shape Hilton hospitality. Here they explored the hub of testing and design and interacted with cutting-edge smart home technologies, and scholars learned about the history of the company from Hilton employees as they searched for Hilton’s first doorknob.
Scholars also took a tour of the Hilton hotel, and it was a great experience to learn more about the company and what goes into a night’s stay with Hilton, from their newly designed rooms with exercise areas to the two TVs in the bathroom of the Presidential Suite! Scholars raved about the latter, which Belinda and Fatima called “the big room” in excitement and agreed was their favorite part of the tour. Umar “loved the pool,” and Adoney especially liked the elevators, mentioning that “the glass elevators were cool. It was like a ride.”
Higher Achievement is grateful to Hilton for making this experience possible. We had a wonderful time while learning so much, and through partnerships like this, we’re reminded of the power of community in helping our scholars grow into tomorrow’s leaders.
About Higher Achievement’s Summer Academy: Higher Achievement DC Metro’s Summer Academy is a six-week program that prepares scholars for the upcoming school year through four core elements: academic courses in math, English, science, and social studies; elective classes, such as dance, photography, and robotics; weekly field trips to explore new careers and industries; and college trips to put our scholars on the path to achievement.
Stay engaged! Learn more about how Higher Achievement engages scholars in year-round programming and how you can stay involved with DC Metro.