Maclay Middle Schoolers Witness the Backbone of Their Country in Action

The Seventh Grade Takes a Trip to the United States Capital City

Photo courtesy of Victor McKay

Field trips that coincide with the curriculum while providing students with an entertaining experience are favorites among students and teachers. On Sunday, Jan. 26, Maclay’s seventh grade class embarked on the annual field trip to Washington, D.C. Their flight departed from the Jacksonville International Airport at 12:30 p.m. and arrived in the capital at 2:20 p.m.

The adventures began on Jan. 27 with destinations including Mount Vernon and several monuments, such as the Washington Monument, Korean War and Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial.

On Tuesday, the students visited the People’s House, where they learned about the White House. They then ate lunch at the Capitol Hill Grill and toured the Capitol. Later, they visited the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress.

On Wednesday, the students visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery, where they participated in a wreath-laying ceremony and witnessed the changing of the guard. Next, they saw the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in the archives before heading to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“My favorite museum was probably the African American History Museum,” Bas said. “Because on the top level, there is a priceless collection of musical performers that are icons with really visually stunning iconic outfits from musical past.”

On their last day in D.C., the seventh-graders visited three more museums, including the International Spy Museum.

“It was cool because you got to walk around and see how spies did stuff,” seventh-grader Elizabeth Holland said. “It was like a museum and an interactive place.”

At Ford’s Theatre, the students saw the place of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. They concluded their museum tours at the Holocaust Museum, which had a huge impact on the seventh graders. They finished their day with ice skating at Pentagon Row which was an enjoyable activity for the students.

On Friday, Jan. 30, the seventh-grade class departed from D.C., rich with knowledge about their country and unforgettable memories to cherish.

“[The trip] is the culmination of learning civics and understanding the history of our country,” Bas said. “It gives [the students] perspective, so when they learn about history and current events, they can link it to the experience they had on the trip.”