Philadelphia students embark on 10-day learning expedition to Ghana

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A group of 7th grade students from Philadelphia is on its way to Ghana for a one-of-a-kind educational experience.

A send-off celebration was held on Wednesday at Global Leadership Academy in West Philadelphia. The 10-day excursion is being led by the school's co-founder and civil rights activist, Dr. Naomi Johnson Booker.

Booker marched with Martin Luther King, Junior. She also learned about advocacy and activism under longtime U.S. Congressman John Lewis.

The students have been studying the African continent with a particular emphasis on Ghana, and the journey is part of their curriculum.

While in Ghana, the group will visit the University of Ghana, an elementary school and several museums as they learn directly from the people and places they have studied in class.

Dr. Tamika Evans, CEO of Global Leadership Academy Southwest, said the experience carries added significance at a time when Black history is being challenged in parts of the United States. She said trips like this are "important now more than ever given the erasure of Black history in the United states."

In addition to academic activities, students will also have downtime to interact with peers their age, offering opportunities to build connections across cultures.

The group is expected to return to Philadelphia after completing the 10-day program.

The international trip to Africa is part of the school's education model. It has sent thousands of inner-city students across the globe on special learning trips.

Previous international trips include the Bahamas, China, Haiti, Jamaica and Kenya.