Advance purchase saves $$$

Entering school field trip season, the Cherokee County School District couldn't have picked a better time to purchase diesel fuel.

The district purchased a tanker of 7,000 gallons and stocked up on heating oil in mid-April, said Jackie Queen, the district's director for transportation, attendance and discipline. The district bought fuel for its school activity buses shortly before the recent surge in fuel prices.

The diesel fuel in the tanker costs the district an average of $2.08 per gallon. Diesel fuel prices have doubled over the past month to a current price of $4.16 per gallon.

Queen estimates the district saved $15,000 on diesel fuel based on the recent price increases.

"We bought the tanker of fuel for school activity buses just before the recent spike in fuel prices. It should last us several weeks," Queen said. "There was a good deal on heating oil so we went ahead and bought some of that for the winter. We don't know how much energy costs could go up in the next couple of months."

County elementary and middle schools are currently focused on preparing for the state's Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test on May 12-23. Schools typically wait until after testing to plan fun activities for students, such as field sports days and field trips.

About 90 Blacksburg Middle School eighth graders and adults will take charter buses for a weekend trip May 23-25 to Washington, D.C.

Organized through Group Travel in Hickory, N.C., Blacksburg Middle School teacher Kelly Davis notes the cost of the trip has continued to increase over the event's 7- year history.

This year's visit to Washington will cost $450 per person.The lowest the field trip has cost is $388.

"It's definitely worth it. This is a great way for our students to learn about our nation's history by seeing it in person," Davis said. "We will finally get to tour the White House for the first time after several years on the waiting list."

Other highlights of the trip include visits to the Vietnam War Memorial, World War II Memorial, Holocaust Museum, National Air and Space Museum, and Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington.

"Our students look forward to going to Washington every year," Davis said. "We have held several fundraisers this year to make the trip affordable for students."

While schools sometimes charter buses, district-owned activity buses are used for most school sporting events and field trips. Higher energy costs could become an issue when the district meets in June to finalize the school budget.