Last week, Mrs. Hohnstadt and seven other chaperones traveled with a group of thirty one 9th and 10th grade students to our nation’s capital. This adventure was in partnership with American Christian Tours (ACTS) who provide quality travel programs from a Christian perspective. They left very early on Tuesday morning, and returned late Saturday night. With lots of excitement and a full itinerary, they hit the ground running!
Within a couple hours after landing in D.C., they started things off at the White House. Not every area was as accessible as usual, due to preparations for the upcoming inauguration celebration. From the White House, they walked to the brand new World War 1 memorial. Rounding out the afternoon were visits to the Old Post Office Tower and the Waldorf Astoria hotel, as well as Ford’s Theater where they listened to an informative discussion about the context of the night Lincoln was assassinated. After dinner, the evening was filled with visits to the area surrounding the Tidal Basin, taking in all the unique features of the monuments and the stories behind each one.
The second day started off at Mount Vernon, where the students witnessed this “living” estate, while taking in the historical information about the Washington’s and the slaves who lived there. After lunch, they headed to Arlington National Cemetery, where four UCA sophomores were selected to participate in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The group also took in other highlights within Arlington, including the home of General Robert E. Lee, and Kennedy’s gravesite. After dinner in Old Town Alexandria, they finished the evening taking in the Lincoln, Korean War and Vietnam War memorials. The students were greatly impacted to be at these iconic locations in person, including the very spot where MKL, Jr. gave his famous speech.
This group became very good at group photos, starting day three off with pictures outside the capitol building, the steps of the Senate building, and at the Supreme Court. After all the pictures, the group headed to the Library of Congress, where, you guessed it, another group photo. This large group of students barely fit on the staircase in the Great Hall. While at the Library, the students got to view Jefferson’s collection of books, the Gutenberg Bible, and also the Reading Room. From the Library, they ventured over to the inside of the Capitol building for a guided tour filled with more interesting facts taking them through the Crypt, Statuary Hall, the Rotunda, and more. After lunch, they shifted gears to take on some hard information at the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Some students took advantage of the opportunity to sit down and visit face to face with a survivor of the Holocaust. To finish out the afternoon's activities, they stopped at the World War 2 Memorial and the Washington Monument.
Day four had a bit of a different pace to it, starting off with a bus ride to Harper’s Ferry National Park in WV, taking in the beautiful scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One location of a group picture had the students standing in WV, on one side of them you could see Maryland, and on the other side you could see Virginia. From Haper’s Ferry they traveled into Maryland to Antietam National Battlefield. Here they learned about the bloodiest day in American history. The scenery was beautiful, but back in 1862 those rolling hills became death traps to those trying to escape enemy fire. After dinner, the evening sights included the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. The students took this one to heart, really understanding the impact of these events on our country.
The last day did not disappoint as far as attractions go. They finished out the trip visiting the Spy Museum, the National Archives, and the Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport. The Spy Museum was a great last-day experience since everyone’s brain was at capacity for taking in information. At the National Archives, the students laid eyes on the actual documents of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, having a hard time believing they were looking at the real thing. On the last stop of the trip the students were able to view the amazing aircraft on display at the Air & Space Museum, including the Concorde Jet, the Enola Gay, a Blue Angels plane, and many more. One more gift shop then it was off to the airport.
These students were a great group of travelers, observers, learners, and classmates. The chaperones received many compliments along the way of how respectful and well behaved they were. Mrs. Hohnstadt says “I’ve seen a group of young people who are kind, caring, respectful, and compassionate all while learning to ask deep questions and explore the world around them. Thank you to the parents who let us at UCA partner with you to raise up this generation to make a difference in this world for Christ.”