Safety & Health
Safety is Priority #1
Discovery Student Adventures are designed and supported by experts with a worldwide network of contacts and nearly 50 years of experience in student travel.
Our commitment to safety means that we provide services including:
- A trained 24-hour response team ready to assist with any situation
- An international cell phone for every travel group
- Extensive safety training and tools for teachers
- Quick and conservative adjustments to trip activities, if advised by the U.S. State Department or our contacts in the destination
- On-the-spot emergency assistance from an international crisis management organization
Discovery Student Adventures: Our Safety Pledge
The safety of all Discovery Student Adventures participants is our highest priority. We are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable educational experience for all participants, and we pledge to maintain open and ongoing communication with students, teachers, and family members regarding safety and any world events that may affect our travelers.
A Proven Track Record
Discovery Education is working with World Adventures Unlimited, a subsidiary of Ambassadors Group, the world leader in safe student travel experiences, to implement and operate these trips. As experts with nearly 50 years of experience, Ambassadors works diligently with us to ensure the safety of every student and teacher. As part of our comprehensive commitment to safety, we provide the following services for our participants:
- A trained 24-hour response team stands available to assist with any emergency or situation that may arise during travel.
- A worldwide network of in-country travel experts allows us to anticipate possible situations and respond quickly to alter trips if needed.
- Top-level experts in every country we travel to assess local situations and keep us informed of new travel precautions.
- Every group travels with international cell phones to ensure timely communication.
Our safety approach is unparalleled in the industry and includes reliance on federal guidelines, trained and experienced teachers, expertise and experience in destination countries, a vast global network of resources and team members, and a sincere commitment to the well-being of our educators, students, and their families.
Federal Guidelines
We rely on the advice of the U.S. State Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board for information when we plan and execute our trips. We choose our destinations carefully, and we will not take our participants into areas that may be unsafe. If conditions exist that may hinder our ability to provide a safe travel experience, we will alter the itinerary and redirect the group to safer destinations or provide other alternatives.
Flights and Activities
We apply the same safety standards to flights and activities that we apply to conducting an entire journey. If a flight is canceled due to a federal safety ruling or airline concern, we will make every attempt to quickly place participants on another flight, provided that the FAA and other relevant organizations state that it is safe to travel.
Similarly, if it is advised that we avoid a particular destination, excursion, or event on an itinerary, or if a location is temporarily unavailable (such as a museum closure), we will arrange comparable, alternative activities to the best of our abilities and with full regard to the well-being of each participant.
Because of increased airport security in recent years, we help students and their families prepare by providing up-to-date information regarding packing, customs procedures, and related guidelines.
Ongoing Precautions
We work with docleaf, a London-based international crisis management organization that helps us monitor and appropriately react to situations around the world in the highly unlikely event of an incident. Our internal task force of senior managers continually assesses the international climate and specific situations, and implements changes to trips as needed. We also receive daily briefings from the U.S. State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) on current events in virtually all corners of the world.
In every country we travel, we work closely with top-level experts who assess their local situations. This global network briefs us on new safety precautions implemented by their respective countries.
Teacher Safety Training
We provide extensive pre-travel safety information and preparation for teachers and students. Teachers are required to complete a comprehensive online travel safety course, and are provided an in-depth safety travel handbook to enable an immediate, effective, and efficient response to any circumstance.
Teachers are backed with an in-country travel manager and an office devoted to assist them in any situation.
In addition, each teacher is subjected to a background check and is required to hold CPR certification.
It is the teacher’s responsibility to monitor the physical and emotional health of each participant. If any student expresses or exhibits signs of mental, emotional, or physical distress—or if any member of the travel group expresses concern for another student’s health—action is swiftly taken. Families are contacted in each circumstance, as is our office. At no time is a student or teacher in mental or physical distress left to heal or rest without supervision.
