With the OK from the Marion School Committee, the Sippican Elementary School Safety Patrol can now put all of their fundraising efforts toward a trip to Washington D.C.

On Dec.7, the School Committee approved the Safety Patrol’s proposed field trip to the nation’s capital after months of fundraising led by enrichment teacher Stacey Soucy.

Soucy said she wanted to take the Safety Patrol, who help other students by opening doors and by assisting them on and off the buses, to Washington D.C as a learning experience.

She said the students chose the city for their field trip because of the educational opportunities including visiting museums, monuments and, hopefully, the White House.

“A majority felt that we have Boston here and we can go anytime,” Soucy said. “They chose Washington D.C because it’s new to them.”

School Committee member Jay Pateakos, who once lived in D.C., said he knows how historically significant the trip could be for the Safety Patrol.

“You can’t get a more rich education environment than the Washington D.C. area,” Pateakos said. “You can’t ask for more for the kids to learn from.”

As of now, 23 students and 10 chaperones are on board for the trip scheduled during the school’s April vacation week. The students will travel by bus and will be staying in a hotel.

Soucy said they will likely be using Smithsonian Student Travel in planning the trip, which would help organize activities, as well as provide a 24 hour per day tour guide for the four-day trip.

Soucy, who has been with the school for six years, first started raising money for the trip back in October with a School Yard Sale. The yard sale, she said, was very successful and will help offset some of the costs for the trip.

Families would have to pay in between $500 and $600 per student for the trip. With additional fundraising, Soucy said, she hopes to lower that cost to $400.

“I would love for the families not to have to pay $500,” Soucy said.  “If we can get it so they’re paying $400-something that would be the goal.”

With April being a few months away, Soucy said she and the Safety Patrol have some time to meet their goal and are excited to move forward with their planning.