Eight students were selected to travel to New York to see the Broadway musical The Outsiders at Bernard B. Jacobs Theater. The trip was funded by donors and members of the Rogers team accompanied the students on the trip. Students also got to see the Statue of Liberty while they were in the city.

Before the trip, each student shared why they love The Outsiders.

Anhya Olive: “I love The Outsiders because I can relate to the characters and their struggles. I love that it was made in the town that I was born and raised in! I also love that the writer (S.E.Hinton), was a student in the same school that I attend (Will Rogers)."

Ga’niyah Dorsey-Myers: “I love The Outsiders because of the background that it displays. It's based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the town I live in and love. I also love the book for the great characters and the relationships that they have. The characters are all unique and different in their own ways.”

Annasytn Alphin: “I love The Outsiders because growing up it was hard for me to fit in with my peers. I was always moving houses and it was hard for me to make friends. When I read The Outsiders, I felt so connected because I realized that it’s ok to not fit in with people around me. Later I met my best friend Chelsey and she made me feel like I was Ponyboy, and she was Johnny! She my sister even if she’s not blood related. She showed me what it’s like to have someone there for you no matter what, just like the characters in The Outsiders.”

Marjersey Foster: “I love the book The Outsiders not just because it’s about my high school, but I am inspired that the author was a high school student just like me. Growing up I didn’t really fit in with the other kids and when I read the book it made me see people who are just like me.”

Sarah McPherson: “I love The Outsiders for many reasons. It has a really good storyline and I really like how all the characters are portrayed. I also really like it just because it was created in Tulsa, which doesn't get a lot of recognition, like Los Angeles and all of the popular cities that movies are filmed in. I think it's really cool how just this one story from a small town in Tulsa has impacted a lot of people and how it made more people recognize Tulsa.”

Jorge Sanchez: “I love the themes that are in The Outsiders and the way those themes are portrayed in the book and movie.” 

Brandon Gibson: “I like the story of The Outsiders because it touches on the harmful effects of how masculinity can affect boys and the way they treat one another, and how that can impact their relationships and perception of themselves.”

Tamonkia Ricks: “I love The Outsiders because it speaks to me on so many levels. Growing up feeling like I don't completely fit in anywhere, seeing characters like Ponyboy and Johnny navigating similar struggles resonates deeply with me. Their journey to find acceptance and understanding in a world that often feels divided, mirrors my own experiences. Plus, the diversity of the characters in the novel reminds me that I'm not alone in feeling like an outsider.”