acis travel contest

Participants

Whether you’re a seasoned performer or you’re setting out on your first performance tour, Encore Tours is your trusted travel companion. Explore this page for detailed information about trip registration, packing essentials, and other valuable travel tips. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring your performance tour is a transformative adventure, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Get ready to elevate your travel experience and discover why Encore means more.

What to Expect

Expect fun, expect adventure, expect to return home with stories you’ll be telling family and friends for years. You can also expect the following:

An Awesome Trip Experience

You’ll be in centrally-located three- and four-star hotels, dine on delicious three-course meals featuring the finest local cuisine, be courted by the best tour managers in the business and see the incredible sites at your destination!

Seriously, the BEST Tour Managers

We’ve said it a thousand times, but our Tour Managers really are the best in the business. In 2015, our Tour Managers were rated 100% excellent by traveling passengers. They’ll be with your group from start to finish, keeping you on time, telling you incredible stories about your touring destinations and making you laugh along the way!

Online Accounts

You’ll receive access to your own personal online account so you can see updates to your itinerary, flight arrangements, and hotel accommodations. You’ll even get sightseeing recommendations for your touring destination!

Pay Your Way

Your personal online account gives you options to pay. Pay by online checking account, credit card, printed check, or even sign up for automatic payments , giving you an easy way to pay your way.

Traveler Support Dedicated to You

While your Group Leader works with our Tour Consultants and Program Managers, we have a whole Traveler Support department dedicated to serving you. Call or email them with any questions!

Email:  [email protected]

Scholarships & Contests

We know that our passengers work hard to fundraise for their tour. With Encore, you have the opportunity to raise even more funds through our  scholarship  opportunities and  photo/video contests.

Insurance for All

When you travel with Encore, your insurance is already included, granting you automatic health and trip cancellation/interruption insurance in case of illness. There is also an option to  upgrade insurance  and even add instrument insurance!

Guaranteed Currency

Encore buys currency ahead of time, so your price never changes based on the exchange rate. Your rate is guaranteed.

Financial Security

As a smaller division of American Council for International Studies (ACIS) and American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS), Encore Tours reaps the benefits of additional financial backing and security, specialized insurance policies and more. Your money is always safe with Encore.

Safety & Security

Encore has a global infrastructure and 24/7 on duty staff around the world and are equipped at handling all travel-related emergencies. Check out our  Safety and Security Handbook  to learn more.

Singing in the beautiful old churches is something I’ve always wanted to do. A few times, I was moved to tears which made singing hard. The experience was so moving!

One of the highlights for me was watching our kids hang out with the kids from the irish music group in cork. the kids actually came back the next day to hang out with the kids in our group and it was really cool, the high point of the trip was singing in salzburg cathedral. such an awesome experience the tours and experiences you arranged were wonderful. it’s hard to choose highlights because it was all so exciting., the trip was amazing ireland is the most beautiful place on the planet but there was an extra special magic touring the countryside with our group and our outstanding guides phil and espin we even learned some gaelic, the audience in bratislava were so appreciative and seemed to be grateful for the performance. the venue was tremendous; an old franciscan church with great acoustics. i cried when we completed our concert and saw looks of joy on our audience’s faces., the pacing was excellent. it was great that each travel day had no performances and that our performance days always had time for sightseeing., a highlight of my trip: performing on stage of carnegie hall, the gracious reception by the njys conductor backstage after our performance and seeing a fellow parent violinist moved to tears as he watched his 8 year old standing there playing in such a legendary hall., singing with 172 other musicians and the wonderful chamber orchestra under the direction of gerald wirth in st. stephens cathedral; it was an awesome experience i will always remember. vienna is truly beautiful., our encore tour manager, ian graham, and gerrie, the bus driver from holland were the best i will never forget this experience. my heart is overjoyed thanks for the experience of a lifetime. i look forward to my next trip with encore tours and acis., everything was well organized and timed in a way to keep the kids moving and doing something new every day. tour managers were absolutely wonderful; they anticipated what the kids/adults needed and answered every question, encore tours/acis travel scholarships.

Every year, Encore and ACIS offer Travel Scholarships for Encore Tours passengers in grades 6 – 12. This competition offers students the chance to be rewarded for their creative expression and interest in the world. We offer travel scholarships toward any Encore program, broken into three categories: artwork, photography and writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

At Encore Tours, we understand that the journey is just as important as the destination. To ensure you have a seamless and memorable experience, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to guide you through every step of your musical adventure.

What types of hotels will I stay in?

Encore uses 3- and 4-star hotels located minutes (sometimes steps) from the sights you came to see. Learn more about  the importance of centrally located hotels.

How does rooming work?

On international tours, participants stay in multiple-bedded rooms, usually with two beds depending on destination and tour type. Group leaders will put together a rooming list for all participants prior to departure. Participants have the option to upgrade to a single room, for a supplemental fee. Additionally, in destinations where tour accommodations are based on either triples or quads, a double room supplement will apply to anyone looking to room with only one other person. Group Leaders are guaranteed the comfort and privacy of a single room on tour. On cruises and overnight ferries, rooming may differ. Any rooming upgrades can be made at registration or by contacting [email protected].

What is My Account?

Once you are registered for an Encore tour, My Account is your portal for everything you need to know. You will find your group’s personalized itinerary and hotel and flight information when it becomes available, you can pay for your trip, enroll for automatic payments and select your protection plan. You can also find information that will help you prepare for your adventure ahead such as packing tips, money matters and more.

How do I log in to My Account?

Log in to My Account here. If you registered online and therefore already created a username and password, you will need to enter it. If you have not already selected a username and password, or you forget it, don’t worry, we can help. Reset your username and password. Please note that both username and password are case-sensitive.

Help! I can’t log in.

Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out.

• Please make sure you enter your login and password exactly as you created them as they are case-sensitive. If logging in on a mobile device, double check your device isn’t automatically adding an extra space at the end. • Make sure you’re logging into the correct trip. Participants need new account information for each trip they are taking with Encore. • Double check you’ve clicked ‘Login’ and not ‘Register’ in order to avoid creating a duplicate account.

If you’re still having trouble, you can  reset your username and password . Unless you are a group leader or assistant group leader, select ‘participant,’ even if your are a parent logging in to your child’s account. To retrieve or reset your account information, please enter the email you used when registering, or if you’re a minor participant, you may choose to enter your parent email. We will send a link to that address for you to reset your username or password. If you do not receive the email within a few minutes, please check your Spam folder.

What are your payment plans?

Encore offers two types of payment plans: Automatic Payment Plan  and Manual Payment Plan. More time to pay, no deadlines to remember, flexible payment options to match your family’s needs, and the chance to win a free trip are just some of the reasons so many participants choose Encore’s Automatic Payment Plan.

If you elect the Manual Payment Plan, after making your initial payment, you’ll then complete your payments by the following steps:

• If you registered before September 1, with an initial payment of $200, you’ll then complete your payments in two steps: an additional $295 in program fees will be due 30 days from the date of your first invoice. Reservations of participants who have not paid $495 by this deadline will be assessed a $50 Deposit Late Fee and will be subject to cancellation. Full payment for your trip is due by the date in the chart below. • If registering on September 1 and onwards with an initial payment of $495, full payment for your trip is due by the date in the chart below.

How do I upgrade my protection plan?

To upgrade your protection plan, log in to  My Account  and click your plan in the Account Overview section. You may then elect to change your plan up to 130 days prior to departure.

How do I cancel?

We hope you’ll reconsider, as we’d love to travel with you. Please fill out this  Cancellation Form . The requested email address must be that of the traveler, or for a minor that of the parent or guardian listed on the account. A confirmation email will be sent to that email address immediately, if you do not receive this, please email [email protected] . We cannot take cancellations over the phone or chat. Your refund will based on your  protection plan  and the date you fill out the form.

Scholarship Positions 2023 2024

Home » USA Scholarships » Travel Scholarship Contest at ACIS

Travel Scholarship Contest at ACIS

Want to experience an educational trip experience you’ll never forget? Take part in the Travel Scholarship Contest organized by the American Council for International Studies in the USA for the academic year 2022-2023.

The American Council for International Studies is expecting applications from students from U.S aged between 11-20 years old interested in educational travel. Six winners will be selected, one grand winner and five runner-ups, and will be awarded $2,500 and $1,000 respectively.

• Application Process
• Clarity of Information

User Review

ACIS, the American Council for International Studies, was established in 1978 and has been a leader in quality educational travel for middle and high school students and their teachers. The standards of ACIS are high, and its commitment to excellence is relentless.

The American Council for International Studies believes in the power of travel to open students’ eyes and change their lives—and every detail of its educational tours is carefully crafted to help make it happen. The organization cares about the little things because they want to make every moment special.

Application Deadline:  The applications should reach the decisive authority by 31 st January 2023.

Brief Description

• University or Organization: American Council for International Studies
• Department: Educational travel
• Course Level: Course
• Award: $2,500
• Number of Awards: 6
• Access Mode: Online
• Nationality: Home
• The award can be taken in the USA.

Eligibility

• Eligible Countries: All US students are eligible to apply.
• El igible Course or Subjects: Applicants must be enrolled in a school or education institute for 11to 20 years aged students.
• Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible, the applicants must meet all the following/given criteria:
• The applicants must be US students aged 11-20 interested in educational travel.

How to Apply

• How to Apply : Students must submit the Student Entry Form and mail it to [email protected] or ACIS Travel is Education Scholarship 330 Congress Street, Suite 5 Boston, MA 02210. All applicants will be considered.
• Supporting Documents: The students can submit entries in form of art, photography, essays, poems, videos, songs, or any other type of artistic expression they can think of that relates to the theme.
• Admission Requirements: The applicants must submit the application form and their work.
• Language Requirement : The students must be fluent and proficient in the English language.

The winning candidates will be awarded a scholarship worth $1,000 – $2,500 to conduct their educational travel with American Council for International Studies.

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Travel Scholarship Contest at ACIS

•  Course, Contest
•  01-Jan-2023
•   Worldwide
• $$  $2,500

Want to experience an educational trip experience you‡ll never forget? Take part in the Travel Scholarship Contest organized by the American Council for International Studies in the USA for the academic year 2022-2023.

Eligibility Criteria

Are you looking for Scholarships in 2022-2023? We are happy to help you find best matches! Plus more!

Offered Benefits

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

2024 Racine County Photo Contest: A collaboration between Educators Credit Union and Racine County

R ACINE COUNTY — Racine County is delighted to launch the 2024 Racine County Photo Contest, an initiative that invites all amateur and professional photographers to capture and share the splendor of our county.

This contest seeks to collect images that showcase the vibrant community, stunning landscapes and iconic landmarks of Racine County from the East end to the West end, from Spring to Winter.

Photographers are encouraged to let their creativity flow and submit photos that illustrate the diversity and beauty of Racine County. The photo contest is open from now until Nov. 27, 2024, providing ample time for participants to explore and photograph the county throughout the seasons.

2024 Racine County Photo Contest participation

To participate, photographers should submit their photos via the contest link , providing their first and last name, email and the photo’s location to receive full credit for their work. This acknowledgment not only celebrates the photographer’s contribution but also serves as a curated guide to the picturesque sights within our county. If people are photographed, please be sure to have them complete the media release form that is found at the above link.

Once the contest ends, a panel will choose a winning photo that will hold the honor of being featured on an Educators Credit Union credit/debit card. Additionally, more selected photos will be published in a 2025 Racine County Calendar, which will be available to order at the end of 2024, as well as used for county outreach materials, presentations, and social media platforms.

Racine County is committed to supporting its community programs and nonprofits. By participating in this contest, photographers contribute to a visual narrative that strengthens community bonds and promotes the local beauty and culture.

Our county is home to a rich tapestry of landscapes and communities. From the serene shores of Lake Michigan to charming Downtown Burlington, the county offers a unique blend of natural beauty and community spirit. This photo contest aims to capture the essence of Racine County as seen through the lenses of those who experience its charm daily.

We eagerly anticipate the diverse perspectives that will be submitted, offering everyone a chance to view Racine County through the eyes of its residents and visitors. Let’s come together to highlight the place we call home and celebrate the stories that make our county unique.

For any inquiries regarding the contest or media release form, please contact Val Danculovich at [email protected] . For more information on the Racine County Photo Contest, please visit www.racinecounty.com or follow Racine County Wisconsin on Facebook.

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