Washington, D.C. trip sparks interest in history and travel
“Every hour is like your birthday here,” Robert Blue Middle School social studies teacher Jacob Groth said he kept telling the students who went on the recent Washington, D.C. trip with him.
He and eight other adult chaperones took 18 seventh and eighth graders on a trip back in time, courtesy of World Classrooms. As they say on their website, https://worldclassrooms.com/washington-dc/, “Why read about history when you can live it?” This renowned organization gives students the opportunity to see firsthand some remarkable memorials to some history-making events in this nation.
“They blew me out of the water with what they all gave us,” said Carrie Christopher, the seventh and eighth grade reading teacher who went along with her daughter, Caitlin, on the trip.
When then RBMS Principal Scott Jeske was approached by the company about taking the trip early last year, Groth and Christopher knew they had to make it happen. Since the trip was not affiliated in any way with the school, these two took the lead and spread the word about the opportunity. They wanted kids to experience some of the things they had read about and studied about in school.
“We also wanted to see if we could spark an interest in kids to see the United States,” said Groth.
And they did! The group of RBMS kids and their chaperones met at the school at 11:45 p.m. on Monday, July 26. After a bus trip to Minneapolis, they excitedly boarded the plane for D.C. For many students, it was their first time flying. The first of many big “firsts to come.”
The days were packed with adventures, one after the other. That’s why Groth said he kept telling the kids, “Every hour is like your birthday.” Items on their To-Do list for the week included: One building of the Smithsonian, The WW2 Monument, the Vietnam Memorial (where they found the name of an Eagle Grove native), Washington Monument, and Tidal Basin – the place associated with Washington's Cherry Blossom Festival and the planting of the first Cherry Tree, as well as FDR and Jefferson Memorials. They also went to Gettysburg where they saw Gettysburg Cyclorama (a painting depicting the Battle of Gettysburg) and took a guided tour of the famous battlefield where the kids got to practice battle formations on the field as well as a battle charge.
A trip to George Washington’s Mt. Vernon in Virginia gave the kids the chance to see Washington’s mansion as well as a backyard view over the Potomac River. While there, they also saw his temporary tomb, the final resting tomb, Washington’s enslaved cemetery Memorial (there is no record of any of these enslaved names to historical knowledge), a variety of items used by Washington himself, and Washington’s false teeth which were made from human/cow teeth and elephant ivory.
But that doesn’t even begin to cover what they all saw on their five-day excursion. In addition to seeing so much, Groth and Christopher agreed that the kids, and adults, learned so much as well. They said their tour guide, who they described as amazing, always had them prepped for what they were about to see. They were armed with knowledge.
“We learned so much more (being part of the World Classrooms group, which consisted of approximately 20 groups from around Iowa and many more from other states) than if we just went on our own,” said Christopher.
For Groth, one of the most memorable experiences to him on the trip was eating at Martin’s Tavern. This is where they got to see the booth where John F. Kennedy proposed to Jacqueline (Jackie) Lee Bouvier in 1953. He was also fascinated to learn that since it’s opening, every president, up until President Obama, had eaten there at one time or another.
Christopher said she was most moved by the 9-11 Memorial at the Pentagon.
“To know I was teaching at that time when everything was crazy,” she said in some disbelief that it’s been almost 20 years since it happened, leaving behind loss and devastation.
“I got a little emotional,” added Groth about his experience at the same monument.
He was especially moved by the benches with all the names of the 184 people who perished there that day and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the attacks. Each bench featured a victim’s age and location at the time of the attack. They are arranged in order of age. The benches honoring the American Airlines flight face the direction of the plane’s approach to the Pentagon. The bench memorializing those victim’s from the Pentagon face the plane’s point of impact on the south side. Christopher agreed it was an emotional point of their tour.
The RBMS tour guide shared with the group where she was on the day of the 9-11 attacks. She remembers it well. She was on the subway in New York. Suddenly, it stopped. After 15 minutes, she told the group they didn’t think much about it because that kind of thing happens from time-to-time. Those 15 minutes then turned into two hours, and they had still not moved. That’s when they were told to leave the “train” and crawl through the tunnels, which she recalls were rat-infested, and go up to the streets through a manhole. When she came out, ‘she thought the world was ending.’ She then had to walk 16 miles to her home.
Another favorite location for both of them was Arlington National Cemetery where not only did they and the students get to see The Changing of the Guard, but they also got to talk personally with the Sentinel (who just so happened to be originally from Bettendorf, Iowa) who had just come off duty.
Another pivotal point on the trip was seeing the White House…and the demonstrators that were outside it. As a social studies teacher, Groth appreciated the opportunity for the kids to see this. Of special interest was when they were allowed to talk to some of the protestors. They spoke with a 16-year-old girl from Cuba who would like to see Cuba be part of the U.S. at some point so we can help each other out in commerce and other areas.
They also saw the longest lasting demonstration, which has been outside the White House since 1982. Demonstrators are no longer allowed to stay overnight in the area outside the White House, but this group was grandfathered in after the law changed. The only stipulation is that they have to have someone there, and awake, at all times, in order for them to stay. Their mission changes, but they are currently demonstrating for peace.
“It was cool to see people protesting,” said Christopher.
“You just really get caught up in the moment…letting kids realize how people feel and letting their stories unfold,” said Groth.
He said the trip let him see a lot of sparks in the kids’ eyes. Some of them, he had no idea they loved history, but they told him so later, after experiencing some of it for themselves, in-person, instead of in a book or a movie.
“History connects a lot of people…and you’re making history every single day,” said Groth.
Bella Delatorre said she really enjoyed the WWII Memorial.
“It was fun to go around and find the pillars of the different states that were involved in the war," said Delatorre.
“I was really amazed at how clean Washington DC is…My favorite part was Arlington National Cemetery and getting to watch The Changing of the Guards,” added her grandma, Lisa Harvey. “After they switched guards, we actually got to meet with the guard that just finished his shift and he answered any questions we had. This trip is one I highly recommend to all students & parents if it is offered again. This was on my Bucket list, and it far exceeded my expectations!”
Kendra Schild, an eighth grader who also went on the trip said her favorite part of the trip, besides hanging out with friends, was the “beautiful view of George Washington’s house.” She also loved Gettysburg.
“Everyone keeps asking me what my favorite part was and I just think ALL OF IT…it was exceptional from beginning to end,” said Kendra’s mom, Jen, who also went on the tour.
The 9-11 Pentagon Memorial, Gettysburg, and Mt Vernon were towards the top of list of favorites.
“This really sparked my interest in history again. The last time I visited D.C. was in high school…so much has changed, but so much has remained the same in 23 years.
“The kids were so good,” said Christopher, honored to be a part of their experience.
She and Groth both agree that they hope to offer this opportunity again in two years, so the next group of middle schoolers can go and experience history for themselves.
This is only the tip of the iceberg of all the experiences they had while in D.C. For those who did go, they can look forward to talking about it more when classes get back in session as Groth plans to work some of their experiences into his lesson plans. For those who were unable to go, Groth will share a variety of stories and pictures with them to inspire them to one day go and see it for themselves.
Christopher also plans on working stories and pictures into her classroom curriculum, especially when they work on the Civil War and American Revolution units.
“Those that went on the trip will carry their memories with them for a lifetime,” said Christopher.
“It was magical,” said Groth.
