Editor’s Note: A group of 32 students from Houlton High School traveled to Washington D.C. March 4-8 as part of a school trip.
WASHINGTON D.C. — On Sunday morning, 32 Houlton High School students, including myself, and one student from Hodgdon High School, returned from an excursion to Washington, D.C. While in our nation’s capital, we were able to see and experience so many amazing things. The memories made on this trip will last all of us a lifetime.
After an extremely long bus drive, we were greeted with cold, snowy weather on our first morning in D.C. We must have brought the cold weather down with us, for we were told the sun had been shining the previous day. We started off our morning with a delicious breakfast at the Hard Rock Cafe. After that, things started to get a little hectic. Our original plan was to go to the Capitol building and meet with Senator King and Representative Poliquin, but due to the “storm” the government had been shut down and we had to change our plans.
Our back-up plan led us outside of the White House, where we learned about its history. Next, we went to the Museum of American History, and we were very happy to be inside and out of the rain. My favorite exhibit in particular was the one that displayed all of the First Ladies’ inaugural ball gowns. Later in the day we traveled to the Dirksen Building and met with Senator Collins. Even though the government was shut down and she was not required to work that day, she still came in so she could meet with us. She gave us a very inspirational speech and presented us with a flag that had been flown over the Capitol building.
After our meeting with the senator, we went to the Air and Space Museum. This was a favorite for many of the students, including HHS Senior Jake Condon who said, “I enjoyed the Air and Space Museum. I found the most powerful piston engine ever, it was 3,400 horsepower!”
We also watched a 3D movie about the D-Day invasion while at the museum. To end the day, half of the group went to the Washington Capitals’ game, while the rest of us retreated back to the hotel for some much needed rest.
Our second day in DC was definitely the busiest, and luckily all of our activities were accompanied by nice weather. We started off our day by visiting the MLK, FDR, and Jefferson memorials. HHS senior Seth Hannigan said, “The FDR memorial was moving because it showed how the American people respected him, despite the fact that he suffered from polio. The different aspects of the memorial showed what an amazing president FDR was.”
Our next stop was the Capitol Building. HHS Junior June Choi said, “The Capitol building was a work of art in itself. The paintings in the rotunda, especially those on the dome ceiling, were breathtaking and immeasurable in value.”
Our next stop was the Supreme Court, where we listened to a short lecture about how the Supreme Court works. After a much needed snack break at Krispy Kreme, which was an amazing experience, we drove out to Virginia and visited the home of George Washington. Being able to walk where Washington once walked and see all of his personal effects was truly incredible; it was almost like going back in time. Our last adventure of the day was a late night walk through the World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Lincoln memorials.
Junior Morgan Nelson said, “All of the memorials we visited that night were incredible. I was honored to be able to trace the name of a local hero, Harry McGuire lll, at the Vietnam Wall.” I was also able to trace the name of local hero, Weston Langley. We returned back at the hotel late that night with a new appreciation.
Our third and final day in the city was by far the most emotional. Our first stop was Arlington National Cemetery, where we were able to see John F. Kennedy’s grave and the eternal flame. Junior Olivia Winslow said, “I was in awe when we went to Arlington National Cemetery. It was overwhelming to know that each stone represented someone who fought for us.” We were also able to witness the changing of the guard, which was really neat to see.
Senior Laura Beals said, “Seeing the changing of the guard was a very touching experience. The soldiers honored their country by performing each step perfectly.” After the changing of the guard, four HHS students were given the honor of laying a wreath in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. One of them, junior Erika Fitzpatrick, said, “Laying the wreath was an amazing and emotional experience and I will always carry the memory with me.” We then journeyed deeper into the Cemetery to find the grave of local hero, James Zimmerman.
After lunch at The Boston Market, and a quick change into some comfier clothing, our next stop was the Holocaust Museum. Upon entering the museum, we were each given an identification card that contained the story of someone who had lived during the Holocaust. At the end of the exhibit, we would find out if our person had survived or died. I agree with junior Piper Flewelling’s statement, “The Holocaust Museum was eye opening. I felt like I was put in the shoes of all the men, women, and children who experienced that time of horror. I will never forget.”
To end our Washington D.C. adventure, some of the group went to the Museum of Natural History, while others, including myself, went to the Newseum. The Newseum was one of my personal favorites; it had six floors of exhibits about the how the press covered different events in American history. My favorite exhibit was “President Lincoln Is Dead,” which showed how the press covered President Lincoln’s assassination and the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth. After having dinner at the Pentagon Mall, we began our long drive back to Houlton.
On behalf of myself and every other student who went on the trip, I would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who made this trip possible for us: our parents, our school, and especially Dee Butler and Tim Tweedie. I don’t know how they didn’t go insane after spending five straight days with 32 high school students. Thank you!
