School Trip

Jordan Banks is the narrator and protagonist of School Trip. He is a 13-year-old raised in Washington Heights with a passion for comics. Jordan dreams of becoming an artist. He’s a light-skinned Black kid, and his character serves as a representation of the author, Jerry Craft, who shares similar traits as a lighter-toned Black man and a comic artist.

In the graphic novel, Jordan faces a dilemma. He has been accepted into a private art school, but he wrestles with the decision to leave his friends at RAD behind. This internal conflict highlights the theme of Following One’s Dreams. Jordan dreams of becoming a celebrated artist—on Page 55, he pictures himself in Paris surrounded by adoring fans asking for his autograph. Symbolically, he compares his journey to that of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, evolving into the best version of himself—“the amazing butterfly that [he is] meant to be” (61). However, Jordan’s aspirations face opposition from his parents, who doubt his ability to succeed as a Black comic artist. Despite their decision for him to remain at RAD, Jordan refuses to abandon his dream. Instead, he enrolls in art classes over the summer, determined to pursue his passion.