PIMS eighth-graders visit nation’s capital
Esteemed honor
Contributed photo
WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY — At a visit to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. during April vacation, Presque Isle Middle School eighth-graders Jillian Flynn and Liam Daniels placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Of the 48 students who attended the trip to the nation’s capital, 13 of them wrote an essay explaining why they wanted to lay a wreath, and the entries were read and scored by eight middle school teachers. Flynn and Daniels, who are shown receiving the wreath from a solider, were two of the four students chosen to assist in the ceremony.
POSING OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE are, from left, front row: 
Dianne Leavitt, Oliver Gerrish, Cindy Cote, Pat Bragdon, Madison Cummings, Natanya Pictou, Kayla Antworth, Hailey Cameron, Shelby Shaw, Mandy Graham, Michael Mahon, Alyssa Hewitt, Cassidy Keegan and Justin Buck. Second row: Kyle Rider, Shannon Sweeney, Mackenzie Pelkey, Stephanie Winslow, Kassidy Voisine, Cassidy Soucier, Caylie-Anne Levasseur, Sedona Lucas and Jordan Carmichael. Third row: Liam Daniels, Alexandria Peterson, Michael Guerrette, Sam Gray, Alison Bell, Lindsey Lagerstrom, Malerie Buck, Katelyn Ford, Olivia Hudson, Joseph Boone, Cole Staples, Regan Nelson, Casey Gagnon, Bill Guerrette and Brendan Hammond. Back row: Abbie Estey, Taylor Williams, Jillian Flynn, Shaye McHatten, Leslie Metja, Kerrigan LeBlanc, Kaitlyn LePage, Alyssa Trombley, Michelle Cawley, Rachel Maxwell, Caleb Nadeau, Jason Bartley, Andrew Lessard, Brandon Collins, Jacob Adams and Gannon Therrien.
PRESQUE ISLE — Forty-eight Presque Isle Middle School eighth-graders traded the opportunity to sleep in and relax during April vacation to continue their learning by seeing the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital.
Social studies teacher Bill Guerrette — along with four other chaperones — took the students on the 2012 Discover D.C. trip that was organized through WorldStrides, a student travel organization with 45 years of experience.
“When I taught fifth grade, I would take my students to Boston and I had done that for seven or eight years,” said Guerrette. “Through that I found that kids learn better by doing and seeing. In eighth grade, we do a lot with federal and state government, so it made sense to give the students the opportunity to see places they see on TV all the time, but may not have had the chance to see in person.”
Among the trip highlights included visits to the Holocaust Museum, Ford’s Theatre, National Zoo, Embassy Row, World War II Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Natural History Museum, a meeting with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on the steps of the Capitol, the White House and Arlington National Cemetery.
In fact, four of the students had the opportunity to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Thirteen of the 48 students opted to write an essay explaining why they wanted to lay a wreath, and the entries were read and scored by eight middle school teachers.
Jillian Flynn was one of the students who helped place the wreath.
“I wrote the essay because I thought it would be a great experience that I could carry with me. I knew going to D.C. was going to be a great experience, but to add that on would just make it so much better,” she said. “I’ve heard about people laying the wreath, but just going and doing it was a whole other experience. It was so hard to believe that we were actually there and laying the wreath. Looking back on it, I know that’s something that I’ll always remember.”
Others attending the trip included Michelle Cawley and Lindsey Lagerstrom.
“I signed up because it sounded like it would be a really fun experience and that I would learn a lot,” said Cawley. “I really liked the Arlington National Cemetery. It was kind of powerful, and the Holocaust Museum was great to visit. Gettysburg was pretty cool, too.
“There were some really late nights and early mornings,” she said, “but it was definitely worth it. I made a lot of memories being there with my friends. It was a really fun trip and I would love to go back.”
Lagerstrom said the Holocaust Museum was “amazing.”
“You go in and take an elevator up to the fourth floor,” she said. “Each floor represents different things. The first floor, for example, focuses on the beginning of the Holocaust and Nazi propaganda.
“I also loved going to all the memorials and the White House. It’s a lot different seeing things in person compared to on TV or in textbooks,” said Lagerstrom. “It gives you a better perspective. I always thought the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall was one straight wall, but it actually starts out small and gets bigger as you go and then smaller again and it turns a corner. I thought that was cool.”
The trip cost $999 per student.
“That was all inclusive from food to tickets to insurance,” said Guerrette. “All they had to bring was souvenir money. We did some group fundraising — like car washes and a spaghetti supper — and that helped pay the way for the adult chaperones because they’re working. We also used some of the money on clothing. Each kid received shirts so every day we were color coded, which makes it a lot easier to spot them in a crowd, plus they have a keepsake when we’re done.
“Some students chose to do individual fundraising, as well,” he said. “We had some kids raise $300-$400 toward their trip, so that was good to see.”
Guerrette said he was pleased with the inaugural trip, which is not affiliated with SAD 1, and plans are under way to go again next April.
“I thought it went very well,” he said. “WorldStrides was excellent to work with, and the kids were amazing. One day we had to check out of the hotel very early in order to be at the White House tour on time. Everyone was on the bus at 5:30 a.m. and ready to go. They were tired, but that’s the sign of a good trip.
“The students who will be eighth-graders in the fall are excited about the prospect of going. So far 44 kids have signed up for next year,” said Guerrette. “We’ll be having a fund-raising meeting at the end of August before school starts with parents of kids who have already signed up. That will be the next step. I’m looking forward to another good, educational time.”
