Passports

You will need a passport for this trip, and with the new requirements for passports it may take quite some time to obtain one. Accordingly, please take care of this right away! Here are some links you might find handy:

The State Department issues passports, and here is their passports home page:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
There are links on the page describing where to go, what you'll need (pictures, birth certificate, etc.), and much more. And yes, you can apply in person, with an appointment.

If you are under age 14 you will need to have a notorized parent permission form. Here is a link to that form:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds3053/ds3053_846.html

Parents: if you do not have a passport, you might want to have your own passport anyway, just in case something were to happen to your son or daughter. If you wanted to travel overseas to be with them, you would need a passport. I've lead many student trips overseas, and have never ever had a parent need this, but just in case...