The Ripple Effect: Reflections on an ACIS Global Conference

Beth Marshall is a French teacher, currently serves as an ACIS Academic Travel Advisor and has been an ACIS group leader since 1995. She was also a participant on an ACIS tour in 1988! Following the MLK Weekend Barcelona Global Conference, she shared her thoughts on the amazing impact of both ACIS Global Conferences and educational travel at large .

As I sit in my classroom, reflecting on the whirlwind adventure of attending the ACIS Global Conference in Barcelona, I can’t help but smile. There’s a spring in my step and a renewed sense of purpose in what I do each day. My students, wide-eyed with curiosity, were amazed that someone could board a plane, immerse themselves in another culture, and return to class brimming with treats, photos, stories, and an unmistakable energy. It’s these moments that remind me why I do what I do.

This past weekend, Peter Jones, ACIS President, spoke about “the ripple effect.” He shared how each of us—those 60 or so educators who travel with students—holds the power to profoundly impact the lives of the 10-50 students we take on these educational trips. But it doesn’t stop there. I thought about the hundreds of students sitting in our classrooms across the country, students who will see the world differently because their teachers attended a Global Conference like this. The potential to ignite a passion for global citizenship in so many young minds is staggering. What an extraordinary privilege and responsibility we have!

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“ACIS Global Conferences are a wellspring of connection…They strengthen our teacher communities.”

Beth Marshall, ACIS Academic Travel Advisor

I’ll never forget my first ACIS Global Conference in January of 1995. I brought my brother and a friend along to Paris for what I then considered a little “thank you” gift from ACIS for my work as a group leader. Little did I know it would be the beginning of something so much bigger. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of attending conferences in Scotland, Belgium, Morocco, and most recently, Barcelona. And while the travel itself is thrilling, the experience offers so much more.

ACIS Global Conferences are a wellspring of connection—with like-minded educators who are equally passionate about the transformative power of travel. They strengthen our teacher communities, spark collaborations that flourish back in the classroom, and offer invaluable insights into leading successful student tours. Each trip is a reminder of how travel is not just a break from routine but a bridge to something far more meaningful: a deeper understanding of our world and our place in it.  It is of powerful conversations with ACIS employees who truly care to get to know more about me, and of the friendships that begin through powerful conversations on a bus, over a glass of wine, churros con chocolate or tapas. 

Sharing my Barcelona adventure on social media was another revelation. The love and encouragement I received from ACIS friends I’ve met across the globe was overwhelming. The bonds we form at these conferences don’t fade when the weekend ends; they grow stronger, fueled by our shared joy in inspiring students to explore and connect with the world. Even in the darkest days of winter, those memories—and the knowledge that we’re sparking change—keep us going.

If no one has reminded you today, let me be the one to say it: You are making a difference. Not just in the lives of your students, but in the families, communities, and people who surround you. Imagine the ripples of joy and discovery you’re creating, born from the magic of travel and the connections it fosters. What a gift to witness those ripples transforming lives!