The junior class at Christian Brothers Academy visited Washington D.C. March 13-15. During the trip, the class toured the various monuments, commemorative sites, and museums set in the nation’s capital.
Touring the historical sites provided the students with prodigious unforgettable memories, while impressing upon them the great stories of heroism and justice that built the nation.
While in D.C., students took a walking tour of the Vietnam War Memorial, the Roosevelt Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. They toured the Holocaust Museum and Arlington Cemetery, viewing the Kennedy graves and General Robert E. Lee’s house, and were given the chance to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers while witnessing the changing of the guard ceremony. Students also visited the Capitol building and explored exhibits at the Museum of Air and Space, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of American History and the national art galleries in the Smithsonian.
Upon returning, students reflected on their experience.
“Ice skating at the Smithsonian with my classmates was definitely a highlight for me, “Olivia Procopio said. “We all shared an incredible connection while spending time together in the Capital.”
Andrew Koscs expressed deep admiration and regard for Arlington Cemetery.
“The visit to Arlington was awe-inspiring and humbling, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Seeing the rows and rows of graves and realizing the amount of people who have sacrificed so much for this country is unbelievable.”
The trip also made a memorable impact on Tom Benz.
“The tour of the memorials made an enormous impression on many of us. Seeing the memorials and hearing the stories of our nation was like having our textbook come to life,” Benz remarked.
Students also had an opportunity to bond with each other. They went to lunch at Hard Rock Café, shopped at Pentagon Mall, went swimming in the hotel pool, and watched the SU basketball game.
“Not only did the trip provide a unique learning opportunity, but also a bonding experience for the entire junior class,” Sarah Roberts shared. “From visiting Arlington, to touring the Smithsonian museums, I gained a greater appreciation for our nation’s history.”
The Washington, D.C. trip is an annual event coordinated by faculty members Michael Marciano and Valerie Stedman.