Friday, March 11

 What an incredible day!! We began our morning bright and early (3:30am) by meeting at the High School. Everyone was so diligent and arrived on time! Shout out to Cooper for bringing Hurts Donuts and for Bus Driver John for getting us to Kansas City safely! The drive to KC went well- many people got an extra little bit of sleep!

Once we arrived to the Kansas City airport we got our tickets with ease, checked some baggage and headed toward security.  Our group ROCKED getting through security! They were so respectful to the workers and did awesome removing all the necessary items from their bags before sending it through x-ray. Once we got through security we found our gate and waited to board! A few students were super excited to be able to get Starbucks before loading.

Once on the plane we were lucky to get seated together. 11 out of our 25 travelers had never flown before. The group we have is so caring and supportive to each other as some were a little nervous to fly. 

The flight went beautifully! Some slept, some watched movies, some just chatted. I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am about the group that came. They are already branching out and getting to know others, they are having fun and are looking out for each other. This is incredible to see in less than 24 hours and says a lot about how awesome these students are!

As we arrived into Reagan National Airport we flew right by the National Mall and saw the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the Capitol.  We met out tour director, Brad, by baggage claim and got onto our plan without any issues. Our bus driver’s name is Hector and he is great too!

Once we loaded the luggage we headed to the Pentagon Center Mall for lunch.  Lunches will typically be in a food court because then students can find food that they like so they can fuel up to go all day!

After lunch we headed to Capitol Hill. Unfortunately the Capitol is still closed and gated, but we were able to walk around it and get some awesome photos. We learned about the Freedom Statue and what she stands for on the top of the Capitol. The weather was absolutely perfect—in the 60s. The feeling of the group was excitement and they were amped to see all the sights. 

After Capitol Hill we headed to the Jefferson Building- the Library of Congress. We had to split into smaller groups to get in, but it wasn’t an issue at all.  Each group got to go their own direction and saw different things throughout the building. Students learned all about the Library of Congress  and the art that is throughout the building. It is beautiful!! I think the thing the students got the most excited about was the first edition of the comic book “The Amazing Spider-Man”. The building is filled with murals, mosaics and sculptures. Keira and Rili put it perfectly, “there is  just so much to look at; I am overwhelmed by the beauty!” Samantha C said, “The architecture was so ornate and pretty.”

After the Jefferson Building we headed to the Supreme Court Building for a photo and then to the bus. Our next stop was the National Archives. Once again we got in with ease in our smaller groups and went straight to the rotunda to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. Students found the hidden Lincoln in the mural and soaked in seeing our founding documents. As any great tourist attraction has, we finished in the gift shop and many found souvenirs to bring home. 

Next was dinner at Roti. This was a major step out of their comfort zone as it was a Mediterranean Grill and many had never had this  type of food before. I am proud of them for trying it and many said it filled them up way more than they thought it would! The students were starting to fade before dinner and were starting to get  tired, but after some food was in their bellies they were more energized.

Roti was just a couple blocks away from the White House so we headed there next. There was a peaceful protest happening. After learning about Lafayette Square, the Blair House, St. John’s Church and the Treasury Building we headed toward the Lincoln Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial is beautiful at night and the reflection off  of the reflection pool of the Washington Monument is breathtaking.  Students got to explore the monument and the museum exhibit. It is always fun seeing their eyes light up when they see a new monument.  

Everyone is now safely tucked away in their rooms. They were tired after an early morning and lots of walking, but their spirits were high. I was shocked that many of them  chose to go work out in the fitness room when we got back! 

Tomorrow’s weather looks a little rough with some rain, snow and cold temperatures, but we will have such an incredible day with Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon and Alexandria.  

I’ve started a google photo album with all the photos I’ve taken and will be sending out an e-mail soon with the link! The kids are having an incredible time and are learning so much! It is going to be a great week!