On March 18th, 69 students and staff members from Tri-Center left the Tri-Center parking lot about 3:15 am to head to Eppley Airfield for a four-day trip to Washington, D.C.  Once the plane landed in Washington, D.C. around noon, it was time to see the sights of Washington, D.C.  This was the first time many of the students had flown on an airplane.  

Senior Erin Bolte commented, “Sometimes in order to experience amazing things, you have to go a little bit out of your comfort zone.”  

The first stop was at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Mansion.  A tour of George Washington’s mansion was given, and then there was time to explore the rest of the farm. Other meaningful stops that day were the Iwo Jima and the Pentagon Memorials.

Saturday had the group getting on their bus at 7:30 a.m. to head to the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean, and World War II Memorials.  Later on Saturday morning, the group took a tour of the Washington National Cathedral.  A highlight of that tour was the fact that there was a choir and orchestra practicing for Easter services.  Also on Saturday, the students visited the very humbling Holocaust Memorial Museum.  After supper, the group was able to visit the Jefferson, FDR, and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorials.  This was a neat experience because it was dark by this time.  

Senior Julia Dollen commented about the trip, “It’s an amazing learning experience, from flying, to seeing the monuments that you’ve only seen in pictures.”

Day three was a big walking day.  The group averaged about 10 miles a day of walking.  The group started by spending a good portion of the morning at Arlington National Cemetery where they got to see JFK’s “eternal flame” and visit the Tomb of the Unknowns and watch the changing of the guards, which is a very serene ceremony.  After stopping for some lunch, the group headed to the Smithsonian Museum area where everyone got to pick which Smithsonian Museum they wanted to explore.  The group was able to do a photo stop in front of the White House.  An unexpected highlight of the trip was being able to make a very quick stop at the Washington, D.C. Zoo to see three adorable panda bears.  

Junior Sydney Hanbury said about the trip, “It was definitely the once in a lifetime kind of trip, and spending it with friends made it even better.”  That evening the group boarded the Spirit Cruise Ship for a dinner, dance, and cruise on the Potomac River.

Monday, the final day, was mostly spent in or near the Capitol Building.  A group photo was taken in front of the Capitol, and then there were assigned times to tour the building.  The final stop was visiting Ford’s Theater, which is where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.  While in that area, many students were able to observe a rally and protest.  

Sponsor Dan Elliott commented, “The students were amazing! I was so proud of them and proud to tell people they are from T-C.  Parents and the entire community should be proud of the great group that represented Tri-Center in Washington, D.C."

 

Senior Adam McDermott said, “Memorable experiences don’t always come from being at home; venture out and make memories.”