Group Leaders Questions and Answers

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Wild Studies wants our teachers and group leaders to feel well informed about our science adventure programs. If you do not find the answer to your questions please contact us by phone at 1-800-531-2240 or by email at info@wildstudies.com.

Let us answer your questions:

Contact Us

1-800-531-2240

info@wildstudies.com

General Questions:

Who can be a Group Leader?

Group Leaders are teachers, college professors, staff from zoos and aquariums, Boy and Girl Scout Troop Leaders, and and any other person with an organization who would like to travel with a group of participants to one of our ecoadventure programs. About 95% of our Group Leader are high school students and science teachers. The other 5% are junior high students and teachers, adult workshops, college programs, and zoo or aquariums trips. Group Leaders promote a trip and travel dates to classes or groups and are rewarded with discount travel or free trips to our programs for their commitment to international environmental education and recruiting efforts.

What is my commitment?

You select a trip and date, complete the Group Leader Agreement Form, promote the trip, and try to recruit participants. All payments except for the initial deposit of $100 are paid by the student via the participant's secure online account using a Visa or MasterCard. The only payment you need to collect is the $100 deposit. You are not committed to doing the trip until you send deposit to Wild Studies.

What are my responsibilities?

You are critical in the promotion, recruiting, and collection of deposits, communication with participants and guardians (if under 18) about Wild Studies procedures, collections, and updates. On site, Wild Studies will facilitate all aspects of the program you be able to enjoy the program like the participants. We do need your help to maintain order. You will need to make sure participants are on time, and are following the house rules and safety procedures. Participants that cannot follow the rules or that pose a threat to the safety of the group will be sent home at their expense.

Do Group Leaders have say in the day to day programming?

Yes, and we welcome your suggestions. Wild Studies, however, will make the final decisions for group activities. The lead guide will meet with you in the morning to discuss the plans for the day. Please feel free to make any recommendations. We will try to accommodate your wishes. Keep in mind, we are the professionals and this is our "backyard". We need to take into consideration the conditions Mother Nature presents to us each day. Wild Studies has the right to change all activities. For liability purposes, in the field do NOT give outside instruction to the students. You need to stay with your dive leaders or guides at all times and follow their instruction. We will be accessing all participants abilities throughout the week. If we believe a student, teacher, or chaperone is not skilled, or in good enough physical condition to participate in a particular activity we will find an alternative activity for that person. We provide careful and detail instruction, 99.9% of the time, everyone participates.

Why choose Wild Studies?

Click here to read more: Why Choose Wild Studies

How do I sign up?

Decide on a program and travel date. See above for a list of our adventures and dates. Email us at info@wildstudies.com or call 1-866-658-1119. Be sure to provide your name, organization, and evening phone number as well as 3 possible dates you would like to travel. Wild Studies will pencil you in an available date and provide a login number and password to your personal Group Leader Account. Log in, complete the online forms and familiarize yourself with the promotional materials. Wild Studies will arrange a time to speak with you to go over your selected program, give you recruiting advice, and answer your questions. From your online account you will have access to promotion materials and helpful recruiting information. You can easily manage your group registration through your Participant Roster from your Group Leader Homepage. Aside from collecting deposits, there are no forms or payments to collect and mail in. All registration and payments are done online in each student's account.

As requests for specific travel dates come in, we will do our best to steer people away from your selected date. We cannot guarantee that travel slot and 7 spaces until deposits have been submitted. $100 deposits will hold the participant's place in the roster until the 15th day of the month following the deposit date. If the student has not completed registration or set up paid by the 15th of the month, the $100 will be forfeit, is non-transferable, and the space given to another participant. The participant may reapply and submit another $100 to be added to the roster again. You can continue to recruit and add participants throughout the year.

Do you have references?

Yes, we have wonderful Group Leaders that are happy to share their experience with you. Please contact us for a list of references. Be sure to check our our Testimonials Page click here.

What is the typical recruiting timeline?

It is on a case by case basis and depends on when you request dates. Wild Studies will work with you to develop a recruiting timeline to accommodate your schedule. Contrary to popular belief, recruiting takes 1 to 2 months, not 7 to 8 months. We also find that Group Leaders who effectively promote their trip and follow up with prospective participants will have 90 to 100% of their group formed within 1 month of promoting their trip. Potential Group Leaders who are passive about the recruiting process have a higher probability of taking 6 or 7 months to fill their group. The success of the group depends on the amount of effort you put into the initial broadcast, your organizational skills, and the timeliness of the follow up to parents and students. We accept students throughout the year on a space available basis.

May I bring a spouse or co-chaperone?

In your Group Leader account there is a participant label for "guest" and you may bring 1 for a discounted price. Guests are allowed on a per person and space available basis once you have recruited at least 7 full paying participants. You will need to contact Wild Studies to get permission to bring a guest. Your guest is required to be at least the age of the participants and be anyone you choose to travel with. He or she does not need to be a teacher. Spouses, we cannot guarantee you will room together, but we will do our best to accommodate you.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes! Wild Studies will allow students a couple of flexible options. All student sign up with just a $100 deposit. From there student can either choose to pay in full or sign up for monthly payments. Click here see the payment table: Participant Payment Schedule If payments are an issue for your students, the earlier they sign up for your trip the more manageable the payments will be. Payment amounts are determined by subtracting the deposit from the total tuition. The remainder of the balance is then divided by the number of months between the month following the deposit and May 15th. The math is simple; more time equals smaller monthly payments. Please do not offer payment plans that are not listed in the payment schedule. This only causes confusion and possibly let down if we cannot accommodate your promises of a different payment schedule. Have the participant or guardian contact us for special circumstances.

What is your cancellation policy?

Wild Studies cannot issue refunds once students have submitted a payment. Participants are required to purchase travel insurance to protect their investment. Policies should cover missed connections, emergency medical evacuation and treatment, trip cancellation, and trip interruption.

Travel Insurance Information

I have a student whose Mom works for the airlines and gets free plane tickets, can she arrange her own travel?

We suggest your group travels together for the safety of all students. Check with our travel agent for more information.

Do you have scholarship programs?

At this time we do not. We do have forms for participants to seek sponsorship. These forms are in your available in your Group Leader Account.

Do participants need a passport?

Yes, everyone is required to have a passport for all of our international adventures.

Do you keep age levels together? Will my 6th graders be with high school students?

Wild Studies has had mixed groups of participants and everyone participates together in field excursions and classroom activities. Instead of an "us against them" mentality we focus on team work and older students mentoring younger students. Each week is different. If you are interested in a week with just high school, middle school, girls only, etc. we will do our best to schedule you and your group based on your preferences.

Is the cost of roundtrip air included in the advertised tuition price?

Airfare to program departure cities is not included in the tuition prices. We will provide passenger lists to our travel agent. Group Leaders and our travel agent will work on a flight schedule that is best for the group and which meets our arrival and departure times. Parents will pay the travel agent directly for flights to departure cities. Estimate costs to Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico is about $650.

How long have your programs been in operation?

The Bahamas program has been hosting groups since 1992, Costa Rica Green since 2001. Baja Mexico is our newest adventure hosting students in 2009.

How safe is it?

Safety is our number one priority, but no outdoor adventure is 100% safe. You will be happy to know that we have not had any major incidents other than the occasional ear infection or split toenail. See specific program information to learn more.

Do Group Leaders have separate sleeping accomodations?

Yes, group leaders will have different sleeping quarters from their student participants.

Will we have access to phone or email?

Because of the remoteness of the facilities, the old adage applies, "No news is good news." Please pass this information on to parents, friends, and relatives of your participants. In Baja Mexico you will be able to make one phone call to start you phone tree. This will let parents and friends know you arrived safely. Parents should email emergency_contact@wildstudies.com We will relay a message to the student as soon as possible.

Do I need to develop pre/post lessons?

That is up to you. Your students will receive a program workbook with space for journaling to use during the week. This workbook is a great log of their adventure and is used in conjunction with the evening slide show and lessons.

What should I do if parents don't use credit cards or they are concerned about internet security?

Wild Studies has purchased an internet security certificate to protect the credit card information on file. Participants can elect to get a pre-paid credit card and add funds to it monthly to protect financial information. For participants who need payment plans we cannot allow multiple or monthly mail in payments. Please do not advertise this as an option because it only creates confusion and room for error. One mail in payment may be made in full using a Cashiers Check made payable to Wild Studies. If participants or parents have questions please have them contact our office.