Monday, March 28, 2011

Our last day in D.C. was filled with many more interesting places. We started off by going to the White House. Unfortunately we didn’t get to take a tour, but we took a group picture and we were able to see Concepcion who is homeless and has been protesting in front of the White House since 1981. Our second stop was to Ford’s Theatre where our 16^th President, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. We toured the museum and saw the theatre and the balcony were Lincoln was sitting when he was shot. Our next stop took us to the Capitol.  We were able to take a tour and see the interesting things inside, such as the rotunda which is the inside of the Capitol dome. Our last stop was to the National Archives where we saw the actual Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. The room wasn’t very bright, having only the amount of light of 2 foot candles to preserve the documents. We had a quick dinner in Baltimore and then headed to the airport for our flight back home. We all had a great time and this trip was well worth it! I am very glad to have had this opportunity to take this trip - these memories will stay with me forever!!

Morgan

Our last day - Monday, March 28th

The White House

Ford Theatre - Where Abe was shot.

Hanging with Einstein the day before.

Sunday - March 27th

Group at Mt.Vernon



Robert running off the Ha Ha wall



Zach jumping from the Ha Ha wall.

Check out our hair!

Yum!



Lunch at Mt. Vernon



Albert Einstein with LA.

Sunday's Adventures March 27, 2011

         (T.J.)Hey everybody, today was really fun. We did all sorts of different adventures. We went to Mt. Vernon for a spectacular view and to see the house of George Washington. All of us had a wonderful time on the "HAHA Hill", which was very exciting indeed, and after that, we ate a fantastic lunch there with many great combinations of delicous foods.
         (Carnival)After that we went to the air & space museum. It was awesome. We saw all of the planes and jets. We also saw some satellites. Then we went tomthe national zoo. At the national zoo we saw "pandos". After we were at the national zoo we went to the Einstein museum. There we climbed on the statue of Einstein. Then we went to a hamburger place and had food. It was delicous.

Saturday's Adventures

Hey guys! Here is the word from D.C.. First we got up at 6:00 o'clock, ugh! Then we went to Arlington National Cemetery where we saw the Changing of the Guard. It is a very special ceremony where they switch out the guards that guard the tomb. It is a very serious ceremony and everything is perfectly counted out in 21's. It was cool but very serious.

Then we went to the Pentagon Memorial. That is where we saw the memorial created to remember the 9/11 victims. It was styled in a very unique way where you can figure out how the person died, either in the plane or the Pentagon. Each victim had their own bench and reflecting pool. We also couldn't take pictures of the Pentagon for security reasons.

After that we headed to the Iwo Jima Memorial. If you don't know what Iwo Jima is, it was one of the last battles in World War II. This would basically assure the United States and Allies to win the war. It was huge! The coolest part about it was if you walked in a circle around it, it would look like they were actually raising the flag. It was actually in Virginia, not D.C.. I got some really cool pics!

After our beautiful, and pleasant lunch we headed for The Museum of American History. There were losts of sections and exhibits. Such as pop culture, history of African Americans, Star Spangled Banner, Abe Lincoln's Hat. Then to the Natural History Museum to see the Hope Diamond.

Had dinner at the mall with 5 floors, then back to the hotel to go swimming.

Delaney and Sydney

Saturday- March 26th Day 2

Sunglasses or miniblinds?

Alright!

Required chaperone attire



Swimming pool fun



Relaxing - after a full day of learning.

Friday, March 25th --- Our first day in D.C.



FDR Memorial

FDR Memorial

 

In the bread line at FDR



Three Musketeers - Three Stooges - Dynamic Duo



Great camera faces, from Riley and Austin! Hair by Delaney!

View of the White House from the top of the Washington Monument.



First of many group photos. Abe Lincoln in the background.




Listening to the tour guide at the Korean War Memorial.



Friday's Destinations

Coming into D.C. for the first time, we first saw the Washington Monument. You can read all the books, watch all the videos, and see all the pictures, but experiencing parts of our nations history firsthand gives you a different feeling entirely, that this isn't a fairytale. Our first stop was the Korean War Memorial. Seeing the memorial helps you remember the "forgotten" war, it's different from the Vietnam Memorial because you see faces, not names on the wall, and gives you a totally different perspective. Next, we went to the Lincoln Memorial. Even though it was crowded, and the Reflecting Pool was undergoing major renovation, we still experienced the sense that Lincoln's ideals and goals were being recognized. After that, we saw the Vietnam War Memorial. The names gave numbers, and, to me, it felt as if the names were weighing me down. The Washington Monument was next, and the view was monumental. After lunch, we went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum, which was a bittersweet visit. After the group was taken down a couple notches, we went to the Washington Historical Society to see the "Facing History" exhibits. After that, the girls all went shopping, and Mrs. Ruybal here claims that she spent the most.
After that, we went to the FDR Memorial, which was huge, and gave us nothing to fear but fear itself. After that was dinner at Chipotle. Next was the WWII Memorial, which left us with a great sense of pride. Lastly was the Jefferson Memorial, which was crowded, and we hurried through because we got cold.
Right now, we are in the HQ, preparing for another day.

Robert
Zach
Joe
(Partial Mrs. Ruybal help)

Off We Go....

...into the wild blue yonder! We will be in Washington D.C. in less than 24 hours! It's hard to believe that after the months of waiting we are only hours away at this point. I'm sure there are several students tonight who are packing frantically, having difficulty falling asleep, thinking of last minute things they may need "just in case." I'm sure there are some parents who are naturally anxious to know their children are traveling across the country. Fear not parents! This trip is going to be AWESOME and you will be so glad your children get to learn about our country's history in our nation's capital. The teachers can't begin to express our thanks to you, the parents, for your support, encouragement, and hard work to get your students to this point. Check back tomorrow for a new post! (It'll be a late one...and we may be sleepy.) :-)


- Miss Graham

Dear Parents,

Thank  you for this providing us with this amazing experience!

We will provide you with daily updates and photos as time permits.

With love,

your son / daughter