Home Student Activities Current News Media Center Students Clubs Newsletters CAP Archives SLA Policies Policy Administration Our Mission Faculty & Staff Yearly Calendar School Menus Job Openings Volunteers Parent Council Volunteers Downloads Back To School Supply List(.txt) Volunteer Hrs Form Summer Packets Grade 6 (2.1M) Grade 7 (833K) Grade 8 (1.2M) Links NJHS Info FL Pre-paid College 8th Grade Class Trip Washington D.C. 2010 Good morning, The trip to DC was uneventful - that's the best kind. Some students slept and most were respectful of those who wanted to sleep. We had some minor conflicts, but were able to resolve them. We arrived in DC about 7 a.m. and were able to secure passes to the White House Garden Tour. We went to breakfast and headed to the Washington Monument. It was incredible for the students to ride the elevator to the top and literally have a bird's eye view of the city. Other than being terribly windy and cold, the kids enjoyed the experience. The WWII Memorial was next, followed by lunch and the White House Garden tour. Students were amazed to be on the front lawn of the White House. It was very crowded, but very impressive. Then we headed for the Holocaust Museum. As in previous years, some students rushed through in 15 minutes and waited in the lobby for an hour and some felt that the hour and a half was not enough time. Most were incredibly moved by the experience. Then we went to the Vietnam Wall and the Lincoln Memorial. After dinner, we made our way to the hotel, where students swam and wrote in their journals. We did room checks at 10 p.m. Their wakeup calls will ring in a half hour, so hopefully they slept. Sincerely, Trina Aker Student Leadership Academy 8th Grade Team Leader Hi everyone, Today was jam packed with activities. We started at Arlington National Cemetery. The students seemed genuinely moved by the sacrifices made by others for our freedom. We saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and participated in a wreath laying ceremony. The students made me proud. Our next stop was the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The students were a bit overwhelmed by the magnitude of the money that is printed there. The fact that they destroy $28M a day really put things in perspective. We had lunch at the Pentagon City Mall. Most students ate quickly so they had a few minutes to shop. Then we headed to Virginia to visit Mount Vernon. We viewed a film that focused on Washington's brilliance as a military strategist and his talent as a leader. Then we walked through the mansion and admired his home; I think students were most impressed with his backyard. The view of the Potomac is magnificent. We returned to DC for our appointment at the National Archives, home of the Bill of Rights, Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. After a wonderful dinner at Phillips Flagship, we visited the FDR and Jefferson Memorials. We finally returned to the hotel at 10 pm. Our White House tour is tomorrow. We have to leave the hotel by 6:45 a.m., so it will be an early morning!! Have a lovely evening, Trina Aker Student Leadership Academy 8th Grade Team Leader Hi everyone, Today was wonderful and exhausting. We started with a tour of the White House. As always, the comments are mixed. Students are amazed to be in the building but they are disappointed at how little of it we get to see. They were more impressed with the protesters outside than anything else. Everyone was amazed with the National Cathedral. It truly is awe inspiring. We all went to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and then gave students a choice between Air and Space and American History museums. Unfortunately, there was a fundraiser in the latter two, so they closed early. We only got to spend about 45 minutes, which really is not enough! We ended the day with a visit to the Korean War Memorial and the Einstein statue. But, the hit of the day seemed to be the ESPN zone. Students had lots of fun competing with their peers and their teachers! Trina Aker Student Leadership Academy 8th Grade Team Leader