Eighty-two seventh graders embarked on the annual trip to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. during the first week of spring break. This trip was organized by history teacher George Gaskin, and chaperoned by him as well as several other faculty, including history teacher Joseph Makhluf; English teacher and department head Alton Price; seventh grade dean and history teacher Matthew Cutler; science teacher Fernando Bautista; seventh grade dean, dean department head, and history teacher Karen Fukushima; and history teacher and department head Rosemary Van Vlijmen.
Gaskin said, “I love all of the sites we visit… I will say that I get a thrill out of watching students reacting to something they see or to an experience that moves them or inspires them… It may be the meaning behind a monument, or it could be an exhibit at a museum or just being able to walk in the place where so many important things have happened. I love seeing the reaction on the faces of the students.”
The tour started off in Philadelphia for the first two and a half days where the group visited sights like Ben Franklin’s Grave, the Rocky Steps, and the Liberty Bell. They also went to Independence Hall where the 7th graders were able to see the room where the Declaration of Independence was signed and George Washington’s original chair. Isabelle Marquez-Jaffe ’31 and Lyla Rusmevichientong ’31 said their favorite part of Philadelphia was visiting Independence Hall.
Another stop on the tour was the Eastern State Penitentiary, one of the only prisons designed for solitary confinement. The students were able to see what the jail cells look like, and they were able to learn about the living conditions in prison. The Philadelphia portion of the trip included a show called, “History Done Funny,” which was an interactive comedy about the American Revolution.
The 7th graders spent the remaining three and a half days in Washington, D.C. One highlight was the tour of the Capitol where they visited the Rotunda, the National Statuary Hall, and the Crypt. Another highlight was Arlington National Cemetery, where they viewed the graves of soldiers and the guard change at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Additionally, they visited Mount Vernon, where they saw George Washington’s restored house, which had replicas of many of the rooms, and the Slave Memorial that honors the slaves who had worked at Mount Vernon. The group saw the exterior of the White House and visited the Washington Monument, the Museum of the United States Army, the Holocaust Museum, the National Archives and memorials, including National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The 7th graders were also given the opportunity to visit any Smithsonian museum of their choice.
Diane Euh ’31 said, “My favorite part of the trip was going to the Smithsonian museums because there were so many diverse options to choose from and to learn about.”
On the last night of the trip, the group went to a show called Sheer Madness, an improvisational comedy. Through this spring break trip, the class of ’31 was able to learn about our nation’s history and some important leaders who helped form the country.
“My favorite part of the trip was the fun memories on the bus and getting to visit so many monumental places/sights,” Marquez-Jaffe ’31 said.
Rusmevichientong ’31 said,“The Washington DC trip was an awesome experience! I got to make friends with people I normally don’t talk to at school and also learn more about my teachers.”
When reflecting on why future students should attend the trip, Gaskin said, “There is a difference between reading about things in a textbook and being able to immerse yourself in history by standing in the very place where it happened. And students will share this experience with friends and along the way, they often make new friends. The trip is just a whole lot of fun. Many high schoolers—and even alums—have told me that it was an experience that they will always remember.”
