| Let's face it!!! Our children are judged | | | | can be extremely expensive. However, |
| based on their grade point average and | | | | prices drop substantially September 7 |
| their performance on standardized test | | | | through November 20 as this time period |
| such as ACT/ SAT. Our children's high | | | | is considered the travel slow season. |
| school and college admissions are based | | | | Other lesser known slow seasons are |
| on those credentials. As parents, we | | | | December 1 through December 20, January |
| invest money in sophisticated desktop/ | | | | 3 through February 1 and 2 weeks after |
| laptop computers to give them access to | | | | Passover/Easter through May 20.Combine |
| the worldwide web. We establish home | | | | slow season discounts with internet |
| offices, libraries and structured areas | | | | discounts, a family can experience the |
| to encourage daily homework and | | | | world at the fraction of cost of your |
| studying. We believe constant studying | | | | holiday (Christmas, Hanukah, and |
| and attention to homework will groom our | | | | Ramadan) gift fund. "I spent $1500 |
| children to brilliant status and give | | | | dollars for a 3 day vacation in Nassau, |
| them impeccable credentials. To a | | | | Bahamas. That cost included air travel |
| certain extent, we are correct. Homework | | | | to Miami for 3 people and a cruise to |
| and study skills lay the basic | | | | Bahamas. Since food was include, the |
| foundation for school success as high | | | | trip was relatively inexpensive," |
| grade point averages flow from high test | | | | states Ida Byrd-Hill, a parent of 7th |
| scores.Memory skills and repetition is | | | | grade twins, Kevin and Karen Hill who |
| the key to high grade point averages; | | | | attend Duke Ellington Conservatory of |
| however, they are not the key to | | | | Music and Art (a Detroit Public |
| brilliance on standardized test. | | | | School). "My children learned about |
| Standardized test, such as California | | | | world colonization, but better yet they |
| Achievement Test (CAT), Scholastic | | | | learned about opportunities as they met |
| Aptitude Test (SAT), American College | | | | the Bahamian Governess, a woman of |
| Test (ACT), assumes students are exposed | | | | African descent. I am glad I was able to |
| to different cultures, climates, | | | | find that trip at as Karen scored 96 |
| countries and experiences at least 10 | | | | percentile on the Social Studies portion |
| times before reaching 10th grade. | | | | of the California Achievement Test and |
| Students who perform the best on | | | | Kevin scored 87 percentile on the |
| standardized test have exposure to | | | | Science portion of the California |
| diverse experiences. What better way to | | | | Achievement Test " states |
| gain this exposure than a vacation to | | | | Byrd-Hill.Great deals can be found on |
| another city, state, country or | | | | the internet by booking at least 14 days |
| continent!!!!!Wealthy families have | | | | or even 21 days in advance. There are |
| always known that trips, getaways and | | | | also websites that specialize in last |
| vacations are the secret to grooming | | | | minute travel. Often these trips (air/ |
| brilliant students. Family vacations are | | | | hotel combos) are for a weekend |
| an opportunity for students to apply all | | | | departing the same week you book the |
| their classroom knowledge quickly. The | | | | vacation or the next weekend. Since |
| average vacation is three to seven days. | | | | there are so many travel websites on the |
| Some wealthy families are known to | | | | internet it pays to spend some time |
| vacation up to 45 days on multiple | | | | price comparing. There are websites, |
| continents. Nevertheless, most families | | | | like that allow individuals to surf |
| are on a limited timeframe requiring | | | | many of the top websites and not so well |
| them to make quick decisions regarding | | | | known sites to compare vacation |
| currency exchange, climate differences, | | | | pricing.If you want to groom your |
| navigation of city, etc.These decisions | | | | children into brilliant students, |
| while extremely practical require the | | | | improve their grades and performance on |
| use of mathematics, science, geography, | | | | standardized test, implement the secret |
| social studies and reading. | | | | wealthy families have known for |
| Unconsciously, students are immersed | | | | generations - Take a Family |
| into lessons fueled by sheer excitement | | | | Vacation.Good Trip!!! Bon Voyage!!! |
| and curiosity.Imagine how productive the | | | | Viaje Bueno!!! Arrivaderci!!! Viaggio |
| lesson would become if a family vacation | | | | Buono!!! Gut Tschus!!!Ida B. Byrd-Hill |
| evolves around a classroom lesson. | | | | is the President of Uplift Inc.and She |
| Children learn lessons at a faster pace. | | | | was the President of The Harvard Group |
| For example, a train trip to an Indian | | | | Wealth Management L.L.C. for 10 years. |
| Reservation in Arizona/ New Mexico | | | | She created investment portfolios, |
| really solidifies a lesson on Native | | | | insurance plans and residential/ |
| American History. For a list of | | | | commercial financing. She has served |
| classroom vacation ideas, visit and | | | | as guest columnist for the Michigan |
| click on the link, School Lesson | | | | Front Page for 2 years and a speaker for |
| Vacations.I know you are thinking "I | | | | the Better Investing television show |
| don't have the money for vacation as | | | | hosted by David Chilton, author of The |
| travel is too expensive." Under normal | | | | Wealthy Barber. |
| circumstances and full prices, travel | | | | |