A ONCE-in-a-lifetime educational and cultural experience is being offered to senior students at Lockerbie Academy.
Ten of the current S6 cohort will be selected to attend Syracuse University in America this October to participate in their Remembrance Week.
The new eight-day, funded trip will also include time in New York.
Applications close today and eligible youngsters and their families have been working on their submissions.
Headteacher Brian Asher will lead the inaugural trip, along with deputy head Kerry Currie.
He hopes it will be a great success and said: “This is not just another school trip—it’s a meaningful journey that honours history, builds global understanding, and connects you directly with an international university community.”
The group will spend two days exploring New York and five at Syracuse, engaging with their American counterparts and participating in Remembrance Week activities, which are held annually in honour of the 35 university students who lost their lives in the 1988 Pan Am disaster.
A rigorous application process is in place to choose the successful pupils, which requires a letter of interest and a creative response on the theme of “The Kindness of Strangers”, be that in essay, poem, song, article, rap, or any other format.
The selection panel want to see how the youngsters express their understanding of the impact and legacy of the Lockerbie tragedy, engage with the history of events, and demonstrate sensitivity.
Mr Asher explained that the October trip came about during discussions on the future of the main Lockerbie Scholarship, which is expected to return next year.
He said: “Participating in this trip will offer valuable context and preparation for those considering applying for that life-changing opportunity.
“Syracuse University has made clear that future scholarship recipients will be expected to meet rigorous academic standards.”
The October experience will be largely funded by the provost’s office at Syracuse.
