2011 will be the 41st year that we have gone back to the East Coast to take the learning out of the classroom and take it to many of the spots where our Nation's history actually happened.
Each day during the trip, we will post information about what we did during the day and pictures of the students as they are learning.
We hope you enjoy the trip along with us as we learn about what formed our country in to the great place it is today.
Click on the Day(s) below (which will be red with a link when ready to view pictures). You will see a large picture and you can either let it run as a slide show or click on the smaller pictures below to view the pictures one at a time.
CLICK HERE to view the Podcast of our 2010 Wreath Laying Ceremony. (COMING SOON).
The first day of our trip is a travel day from the West Coast to the East Coast. The students are excited to start their adventure together. We are anxious to share the experience with them.
We take a step back in time today to visit Colonial Williamsburg and experience the era of our forefathers. Whether it be visiting the Capitol, the Governor's Palace, the wig maker, the silver smith, the milinery shop or eating in a real old time tavern, the students learn about this 1 mile street that holds so much of our history.
Today we visit Jamestown and Yorktown. One site in each location is an original site where history was made, while one site at each spot is a replica of what life would have been like. The students learn alot about how we became a country.
We leave for our next step of the trip today. We head first off to Richmond for a Re-enactment of the Virginia Convention where we will hear Patrick Henry's famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech. From there we tour some of the Richmond Capitol before heading to Charlottesville to visit Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. What a glorious piece of architecture and what unique items had had in his home.
Our day begins by going to the top of the Washington Monument. What a great view of DC from high atop the monument. From there we went to some museums and memorials. The afternoon is spent at Arlington National Cemetery where we are honored to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. What a solemn experience as we honor those who have given the greatest sacrifice for our safety.
This morning we begin our day by worshipping the Lord in a local Church. Then after visiting a memorial we head off to Annapolis to the Naval Academy. We have had many former students attend the Academy as a result of their visit during their Jr. High trip. Then we went to Fort McHenry and participated in a changing of the flag. It is awesome to be in the spot where the flag was raised as Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. We have free time for dinner at the Baltimore Inner Harbor before heading back to the hotel.
We spend Day 7 on Capitol Hill. The seat of our government is an exciting place to be! We visit the Supreme Court, Library of Congress and the Capitol. Inside the Capitol we see the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, Old Supreme Court, and other rooms before spending some time in the galleries of the Senate and House of Representatives. It is great to see our leaders at work and very interesting to hear their discussions. We also do some night touring after dinner.
Day 8 is a day we try to catch some unscheduled tours. This year we were able to tour the new Ford’s Theater Museum and see the box where President Lincoln was shot. We then visit more memorials and museums before heading to see George Washington's home, Mt. Vernon. It is interesting to contrast the homes of Presidents Washington and Jefferson (who we had toured on day four).
This morning we tour the Pentagon. We are not allowed to take pictures on the tour but we do take some group shots by a Pentagon podium. We finish up our last day in D.C. by catching any memorials or museums that we have not seen yet. Last stop is to visit the Holocaust Museum as the students learn of the horrible travesty that took place in Germany. Then we leave DC and head to Gettysburg.
We have now arrived in Gettysburg. The Battlefield Guide boarded our bus and takes us on a 2 hour tour of the battlefield while explaining what happened each day of the 3 day war. From there we headed to Lancaster, PA and have the unique experience of visiting a Mennonite home and listening to our guide tell the students have the lifestyle of the Amish. The adults then enjoy shopping at the quilt shop. Next we headed to Philadelphia to get in some late afternoon tour spots, including a visit to Christ’s Church before heading to dinner.
Our tour of Philadelphia includes so many stops. We go inside Independence Hall and see where so much of our laws were signed in to existence. We also see the Liberty Bell, Franklin Court, Carpenters Hall, etc. Then we head to our last stop which is...New York City! Tonight we take a driving tour around the city and end with seeing a Broadway show. This year we saw Lion King.
Our final day we boarded a ferry and go to see the Statue of Liberty. We can no longer walk up to the crown so we do not get off the ferry at this stop. From there the ferry continued over to Ellis Island to see where many of our ancestors entered the United States for a better life. We then finished up by taking a walking tour of New York, including Wall Street, St. Paul’s Church and viewing Ground Zero. We also now tour the World Trade Center Museum and reflect upon the horror of that day. After that we head to the airport to return to California with a much better understanding of how our country began and how it works today.