2026 Trip Dates:
May 23-24, 2026
Parent Info Meeting –
November 20th
@ Fischer Middle School
7:30 – 8:30 PM
Overview
We are excited to announce that we will lead a group of 7th grade students on a Tour program to Springfield and St. Louis. On this amazing adventure, students will explore our state’s most important historical sites and experience incomparable learning moments. This will be a trip that your child will be talking about for years to come!
Your child will return home excited to tell you about: Visiting our state’s capitol and touring the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Experience Lincoln’s home and neighborhood and visit his final resting spot. Discover the true meaning of sacrifice when we honor our fallen heroes at Illinois’ war memorials and much more. Explore St. Louis and it’s exciting sites including the Gateway Arch, City Museum, and Six Flags, St. Louis.
Join us at our upcoming information meeting for more details. If you missed our most recent meeting, you can view our informational presentation here, and contact your home school’s Lead Chaperone as listed below.
Highlights
Explore some our exciting sites, tours, photo stops, and educational activities. Giving your child an experience they will remember and grow from.
Itinerary
Private Coach Bus
Board your private coach bus on Saturday morning. Think of this as your giant rolling lounge with comfy seats, power outlets for all your devices, and a bathroom so you don’t have to make any awkward rest stops.
Illinois State Capitol Tour
Tour the inside and outside of our state’s Capitol building. Featuring the Senate and House of Representatives chambers and don’t forget to snap a photos of that amazing dome at 361 feet, making it taller than the U.S. Capitol’s dome.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum makes history less boring with cool special effects theater shows, lifelike wax figures, and real, sometimes bloody, artifacts like Mary Lincoln’s gloves from the night of the assassination.
Lincoln’s Tomb
At the Abraham Lincoln tomb, you can rub a bronze nose for good luck, learn about the time grave robbers tried to steal his body, and see the heavily reinforced concrete vault where he’s actually buried.
Lincoln’s Home Tour
Step into the only house Lincoln ever owned and see his actual furniture and belongings, providing a unique, free, and surprisingly personal glimpse into his everyday life before he became president.
Lunch
You choose! Panda Express, Noodles & Company, Chick-Fil-A, or Chipotle.
Illinois War Memorials
Springfield’s war memorials are epic tributes at the Oak Ridge Cemetery complex that use a massive globe, granite walls, and specific names to honor Illinois’ history in huge global conflicts like World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Gateway Arch in St. Louis
Grab the perfect picture in front of this huge, shiny, 630-foot-tall steel masterpiece right on the Mississippi River, designed as an epic, modern “doorway” to celebrate the daring pioneers who explored America’s West.
City Museum
The City Museum is a massive, weirdly wonderful, artist-built playground housed in an old shoe factory where you can literally crawl through salvaged airplanes hanging outside, climb intricate cave systems, and slide down a 10-story spiral slide.
Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags St. Louis is a total blast with over 10 intense roller coasters, including massive ones like MR. FREEZE Reverse Blast that launches you from zero to 70 mph in under four seconds, plus an entire free water park for cooling off.
Features & Inclusions
- Transportation on our Coach Bus
- Quad Occupancy for rooms (upgrades available)
- Online Registration and Enrollment
- All tickets and admissions
- Meals from Saturday Lunch to Sunday Dinner
- Online Fundraising Tools
- Drawstring Backpack
- Doctors on Call
- Luxury Hotel – Rennaissance by Marriott
- 24 hour emergency hotline
- Overnight hotel security chaperones
- Dedicated educators as chaperones
- Payment Plans Available
Scholarships & Fundraising
Take advantage of FLAG financial assistance
Through the FLAG Financial Assistance program, WorldStrides has made it possible for thousands of families to experience the many benefits of educational travel. Over $10 million in financial assistance and scholarships has been given out through this incredible program. The application process is simple and confidential, and families with annual adjusted gross incomes up to $85,000 may qualify. Call 800-468-5899 to apply.
Use our Gift of Education tools to raise money for your trip
The Gift of Education is our easy and highly successful fundraising program that students can use to receive donations from family, friends, and local organizations to help pay for their trip. Thousands of students have received millions of dollars through this program, with 100% of the donations going directly towards offsetting their trip price! Learn more about raising funds through e-cards, letters, and Facebook links at worldstridesfundraising.com
Building Lead Chaperone Contacts
Each building has a lead chaperone who will be your primary contact throughout the registration, coordination, and trip. Please reach out to them directly if you have any questions.
Questions should be directed to your building level lead chaperone.
Tour Coordinators / Tour Company
- Tony “Ike” Ivkovich – Tour Coordinator – (630)-202-5882 (c) – Tonyike100@yahoo.com
- John Kelsey – Tour Coordinator – (312) 344-3102 – 204trips@gmail.com
- Tour Company: World Strides / BrightSpark
Trip Documents
These documents are updated each year, and are generally emailed directly to you from your building’s lead chaperone. You can also download a copy for yourself from the links below.
Important Dates & Updates
Updates
- 2026 Springfield/St. Louis Trip Details
- 2026 Springfield/St. Louis/Six Flags Trip Registration Happening Now
- 7th Grade 2026 Springfield/St. Louis Trip Info Meeting
Information Meetings
Nov. 20, 2025 – 7:30-8:30 PM
Fischer Middle School
Parent and Student Information Meeting – Trip details with Q&A Session.
Important Dates
March 20, 20206 – Final Payment
February – Roommate signup
March – Medical Form Due
Required Final Pre-Trip Meeting
May 2026 – 7:30-8:30 PM
Fischer Middle School
All travelers and a parents must attend this meeting.
Registration
Application registration for the 2026 Springfield/St. Louis Trip has begun. If you are unable to attend one of the informational meetings, you can still register online or via phone.
Take advantage of our EZPay program to have payments automatically deducted from your bank account and avoid handling fees!
*Installment amounts may vary in price based on when you sign up and optional inclusions. Your last payment must be made by the final payment deadline and may be larger than your previous installment payments.
ONLINE REGISTRATION
Step 1: Navigate to spark.worldstrides.com
Step 2: Enter your Trip ID Number: T5VABPR
Step 3: Choose your School from the drop down list (IMPORTANT)
Step 4: Enter your student’s registration information
PHONE REGISTRATION
800-468-5899
FULL REFUND PROGRAM
World Stride’s optional Full Refund Program helps protect that investment should you have to cancel your child’s program before departure for any reason. The program refunds all money paid to WorldStrides (less non-refundable deposit, fees, and the Full Refund Program cost), and includes special Job Loss Protection. Full Terms and Conditions are available at worldstridesdiscovernow.org. We strongly recommend that you take advantage of this excellent program by electing our Full Refund Program at the time of application for registration.
