Coleman 9th Grade Civics Classes Visit Washington D.C.

On Nov. 5, Mr. Jeremy Brady and Mrs. Joy Rohde led 94 Coleman 9th-grade students, parents, and adult community members on a tour of Washington D.C.  On the way, they stopped at the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania.  Student Allie Gross stated, "I learned a lot visiting the Flight 93 memorial. It was so powerful to hear the actual voices of the people on the plane who sacrificed their lives!"
Upon arrival in D.C., they visited the Iwo Jima Memorial, Air Force Monument, the White House, the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument as part of their night tour.  Student Malorie Kimmel said after the night tour, "I liked seeing the Washington Monument the best because I have seen pictures that my brother took when he went, but until you are standing right next to it, you don't realize how big it actually is!"
 Day two in D.C. brought them to the U.S. Capitol for a tour, the Library of Congress and U.S. Supreme Courthouse, a tour of Ford's Theater where President Lincoln was shot, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean Memorial. We then visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum before ending with dinner and a historic ghost walking tour through Alexandria.  After leaving the Holocaust Museum, student Megan Borchert mused, "There is just so much history that we do not know about.  Going through the Holocaust Museum was the most humbling for me because I didn't know how bad it really was."  "The Holocaust Museum was super eye-opening and gave me a better understanding of what it was truly like back then,"  stated student Alayna Gilbertson.  Student Gavin Fochasato was most impressed with the U.S. Capitol Tour, saying, "It's cool to see everything in our Capitol and learn about all of the buildings."
Day three brought them to Mount Vernon.  They toured much of the Mount Vernon estate and saw the many, many inventions and entrepreneurial ventures that George Washington partook in.  Then they visited the Natural History Smithsonian and the American History Smithsonian before going to the FDR Memorial and Jefferson Memorial. The evening ended with a dinner/dance cruise on the Potomac River.
 On their last day in D.C., they visited Arlington National Cemetery, saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and J.F. Kennedy's eternal flame, and visited the Udvar Hazy Smithsonian before leaving for their two-day trip home.  Student Gideon Yoder was most impressed with, "How many soldiers died for our country and the discipline that the Marines guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier had."
Overall, the students had an amazing trip and the adult chaperones made the trip run smoothly for a great educational opportunity for the Coleman 9th grade.  The following organizations donated money to help pay for students' trips and covered three meals for the students, which was very much appreciated.  Thank you very much to Triple C Riders, The American Legion, and The Lions Club, as well as the donation from the inactive Lioness Club.
Other comments from students:
Ava Kuchta: "It is a cool way for the kids to learn but not just sit at a desk and learn about it...this way we will remember it more!"
Matt Tedtman: "The trip is very educational.  You learn a LOT about the U.S. Government, government buildings, and the memorials."
Kaylee Rosner: "We learned that you should know more about the country you live in's history.  You should go on this trip because it teaches you so much about American History."
Keaton Wierzba: "We learned things that we wouldn't otherwise learn in school."