Escuela Bella Vista has two "big" field trips throughout the K-12 experience. Disney World is the annual destination for the grade five kids while the grade nine kids venture off to Washington, DC. As the US History teacher for grade 9, I took the reins this year and led my students on a trip to the home of the United States capitol.
It was an exhausting trip with two red-eye flights bookending the week in DC, but it
was a positive experience all around. We did the standard sightseeing stuff and tacked on a visit to Colonial Williamsburg (and a day to ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens!) as well as historic Jamestown (the first original settlement in the 1600's).
The weather brought us some cool temperatures and clouds which I welcomed with open arms. A break from the stifling heat of Maracaibo cooled me off a bit.
Last year we toured the Capitol Building, but this year I had more control of what we did so we omitted this tour (and all war memorials) so we could spend time at the Natural History Museum and US History Museum instead.
This trip was particularly enjoyable because of the freedom we had. The students were able to enjoy better food options and more opportunity to roam around and explore the city. I even taught them an alternative to the traditional two-fingered "peace" hand sign.
After having a nice lunch, we went wandering around a bit while the other tour group was out doing some nerdy educational stuff. Not us...
Last year we weren't able to visit Ford's Theater, but this year we were able to pull it off. It was a great presentation and we learned a lot. Presidents still traditionally visit at least once during their presidency to catch a show. They all sit right up front. The top right section in the photo above is the balcony where Lincoln sat during that catastrophic evening. After the fatal shot, Wilkes Booth clumsily jumped from the balcony onto the stage, broke his leg, scurried across to the left, exited the theater, pistol-whipped the stableboy looking after his horse, then fled. Thus began the greatest manhunt in US history.
A trip to the National Archives is a staple of this trip. I'm still in awe of the actual documents and signatures. Photography was only recently allowed.
A new addition to the trip was the National Cathedral. It was breathtaking. And we were gifted with an angel doing a photo shoot at the end.
Starting in 1903, construction on this took 83 years and was made in line with traditional architectural styles. This is the location of funeral proceedings of the US Presidents. I think Woodrow Wilson is the only president actually buried here.
Thinking back on this trip, there was a lot we did, but no photos to document it. I ended up confiscating the students' phones because they didn't really know how to use them. We would be in public around a beautiful place and they would zone out completely and be looking down at some stupid TikTok. I don't blame them and I'm not angry, but that's not why we came to Washington. We came to Washington so we could walk past beautiful women doing photo shoots.
Just kidding.
But seriously, I took the phones during our time at Mt. Vernon (George Washington's home) and a handful of other destinations. During the times I allowed the students to have their phones, the photos were... terrible. They were shockingly bad at taking photos. And I say this knowing that they sometimes check this site and read my posts. A couple things I hope they learn from this trip are A: I'm really funny and tell hilarious jokes all the time, and B: in general, horizontal photos are better than vertical photos. And yes, I know I say that after posting a bunch of vertical photos in a row, but at least my vertical photos are appropriate for the shot. Those kids took vertical photos of the White House and Capitol building.
That being said, their lack of photography skills didn't hinder us from stopping by the statues of two iconic figures.
These kids were a pain in the butt sometimes, but I genuinely feel that they are wonderful people. I enjoy their spark and personalities. They know how to have fun, and I feel privileged to work with them.
This evening was rather pleasant. As we wrapped up our last day in DC before moving onto Williamsburg, we were able to stroll around the park and enjoy the beauty of the ponds and trees.
We soon made our way outside the city to see some historic sites. After an afternoon riding roller coasters and playing at a theme park, we visited Colonial Williamsburg.
A bit dreary, but the kids were troopers. I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed the rain.
Overall, it was a great trip. The students said they had fun and wanted to stay. There were a few comments that the bus was their favorite part. Honestly, I can't blame them. It was our little safe haven. It was the place where they could be themselves. They didn't have to listen to some boring tour guide. They didn't have me yelling at them to walk faster. They could sleep on each other's shoulders. They could make jokes, gossip, sing, and play games.
I look forward to next year. Maybe I'll fit in a trip to Camden Yards to see the Orioles play baseball or add in an extra day for roller coasters. Regardless, this trip was one I'm not likely to forget anytime soon, and for that I have my awesome students to thank.
