Final Stop - Two Presidents

We could not leave Washington without visiting the memorials of two great Presidents - Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Our cadets were awed by the magnificence of the statues and engraved documents displayed inside the memorials. Our cadets saw first-hand the many contributions of these Presidents who changed the history of our nation.

Day Four - The War Memorials

On our last day, we went by all the War Memorials around the Reflecting Pool. The Vietnam Memorial was sobering with 58,000 names on it. The Korean Memorial made you feel like you were there because the statues of the soldiers were so life-like. The WWII Memorial gave us some idea of the enormity of the sacrifice by millions. And, finally, the Iwo Jima showed us that determination and sacrifice win wars.

Day Three - Arlington

Our visit to Arlington was one of the highlights of the trip. We saw the Kennedy gravesites, the marker of General Chappie James, and the mast of the Maine, But the event that made the trip most memorable was the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After the Changing of the Guard, Chase Thompson and Lawrence McDowell, escorted by a Tomb Guard, placed a wreath while TAPS was played. Jodie Campbell and Danielle Capps from Blue Ridge AFJROTC accompanied our cadets. This was a special day for SC-954.

The First White House

After leaving the Naval Academy, we went to the city of Annapolis, the Capital of Maryland. What many didn't realize is that the Maryland State House was once the Capitol building of the United States. In 1783, the first Congress met here to draft legislation for the new Nation. Another piece of history for the trip book. Then we toured main street Annapolis where we visited gift shops and the renowned fudge store. Many of us sampled the chocolate even though Ms. Pyle kept some from over-doing it.

Day Two - Maryland - And The Navy

One of the neat things we were able to do was show our cadets what a US military academy is like and hear how you can get there. Our tour guide was a retired Naval officer and Naval Academy graduate. He took us from the crypt of Admiral John Paul Jones in the Academy chapel to the dorms where 4500 Midshipmen live. We saw two Heisman trophies in the athletic center, and we were able to watch the "Noon Meal formation", a daily event that presents the entire Brigade in a parade-like setting. The facilities were loaded with history and beautiful architecture. Our guide carefully explained how a high school student can prepare for the challenges of military academy attendance. We finished the tour with a great lunch in the Drydock restaurant. Many souvenirs were purchased, and we gave our tour guides some Air Force stuff to remember us.

We Met No Food That Wasn't great!

A great amount of the planning for this trip centered around "where will we eat"? So we sampled lunch at the Hershey Chocolate World, dinner at Uno's Chicago Pizzeria, lunch at the Naval Academy, and several great meals at the Pentagon City food court (home of Larry's Cookies). We literally traveled on our stomachs, but we were moving so fast that few gained weight. Oh yes, there was a carousel!

Gettysburg - The Battle That Changed A Nation

We ended the touring on Day One at Gettysburg where the most famous battle of the Civil War took place. Fifty-one thousand Americans lost their lives in July 1863 as the Northern and Southern armies collided in this small town in Pennsylvania. Our tour guide spent two hours showing us the preserved battlefield much as it was almost 150 years ago. We saw Little Round Top, Pickett's Charge, and Devil's Den where some of the bloodiest fighting in American took place. Our cadets learned a lot about who we are as a nation during the two-hour look at some of our darkest hours as a nation.

Day One DC Trip - Chocolate!

Our first stop on the DC trip was not necessarily curriculum oriented - unless you consider seeing a manufacturing process something every good citizen should know. But it opened our eyes to what a huge segment of our economy goes to the things Americans love best. Some cadets experienced the production line up close and personal as they donned caps, gloves, and aprons and produced their own candy bar - just the way Hershey does it. Others just shopped in the gigantic chocolate store to please some folks back home. It was definitely a stop to remember.