Day 1 - SFA to Boston & Cambridge FREEDOM April 9, 2016 Martina McBride sang a song entitled, "Let Freedom Ring" where the lyrics stated "Let freedom ring...let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong...it's Independence Day." Today we saw the strength of many heroes who spoke up for freedom and helped pave the way for the birth of our country. They set examples of heroic strength, courage and valor as they risked their lives for the ideal of freedom for many. We walked the freedom trail all day visiting sites like King's Chapel established in 1687, where freedom of religion was first celebrated in our country. We saw the first public school established in 1635 where John Hancock, San Adams and even Ben Franklin attended, although we learned that Ben dropped out of school! We visited Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market where many literary discussions occurred. We toured Paul Revere's Home and were astonished that they fit 14 people in such small quarters. Sitting in box pews in the Old North Church, we looked up to the bell tower where two men held lanterns signifying that the British were coming by land to destroy weapons the Colonists had stockpiled. We went to Bunker Hill and climbed the tower (294 steps) to the lookout where a battle was fought on what is now a beautiful park. Finally, we spent several hours on a personal tour with the USS Constitution's Command Duty Officer after the ship had already closed. He was originally from California and gave us "special treatment" by taking us on all decks of the ship, even the "haunted" section. By the time we were on the bottom deck, we were crawling on our hands and knees as the space was so small. We heard stories of battle and began to appreciate the sacrifice of the soldiers who served on those decks. The students heard stories all day long that inspired each one of us to be courageous and stand up for what we believe is right and honorable. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and reminded us of our Nation's call for freedom as he said the words, "And I say to you today my friends, let freedom ring...from every mountainside, let freedom ring." (Martin Luther King Speech, 1963). May we be ever thankful for the freedoms we have in our country.
Day 2 - New York SACRIFICE April 10, 2016 Benjamin Franklin said, "Whoever sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither." Starting at Minuteman National Park in Lexington, we visited a memorial honoring the first soldiers that sacrificed their lives to stand up against the oppression of the British military. We then drove to Concord and visited the location where the "shot heard round the world" occurred. We walked on the North Bridge where the colonists had been warned by Paul Revere that the British were coming and they battled the British military to protect their quest for freedom. Many lives were lost on the road to victory. We then visited Plymouth Rock which was surprisingly small Apparently tourists had been breaking off pieces as souvenirs for years before they created a safe preserve. We then visited Plimoth Plantation where we witnessed a living re-enactment of life for the early colonists. Sacrifice meant survival on the plantation, where living conditions were very difficult and everyone worked together to create a new life in America. Ending the evening on the Empire State Building brought some amazing views and strong winds, reminding everyone that we were not in California! Everyone snapped photos with friends and enjoyed shopping for souvenirs.
Day 3 - New York - PERSEVERANCE April 11, 2016 "Courage and perseverance have a magic talisman, before which difficulties and obstacles vanish into air." John Adams Perseverance means pushing through obstacles in the face of adversity. Our country faced terrorism and devastation on 9/11, almost 15 years ago. The people of New York and Pennsylvania, as well as the rest of the nation, grieved the loss of our citizens. This tragedy really showed the strength and determination of the people of America to protect our freedoms. Visiting the 9/11 memorial was a somber experience and the rain provided the perfect backdrop. We prayed for those who lost their lives and explored remnants and remembrances of the victims of that horrible attack. From there we took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Learning about the challenges of immigrants, not only with their travels to our country, but additionally once they landed on our land. Many people were not admitted to this country due to illness or lack of sponsorship or employment. Those who were admitted had to persevere to carve out a living here in America! We ended our day attending Aladdin on Broadway. At Ellen's Stardust Diner, we learned about how aspiring actors are required to be a triple threat on Broadway - singing, dancing, and acting. Many of them persevere through many rejections and lots of jobs before they may land a role on Broadway. Seeing the actors in Aladdin, showed us the high standards required to make it in NY!
Day 4 - Central Park, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center & Gettysburg - REMEMBRANCE April 12, 2016 Spending the morning strolling through Central Park was a welcome break. Entertainers were performing, dogs playing everywhere and our students climbing on everything they could! We spent some time walking through St. Patrick's Cathedral and lit a candle at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel to pray for our families & school. After lunch by Rockefeller Center, we took a long bus ride to Gettysburg. It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone. Rose Kennedy Gettysburg is a town of remembrance. This town is literally a graveyard and remains of those who sacrificed their lives are still found on the battlefield to this day. We experienced a driving tour of the battlefield and heard a passionate field guide recount the events of the battles and how this battle changed our history forever. We saw the graveyard where Lincoln gave his infamous Gettysburg address & enjoyed a camp out dinner in the backyard of a haunted home, where a soldier demonstrated various aspects of the life of a soldier. What an amazing experience for our students to remember the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our United States of America, beginning the unity we now experience today.
Day 5 - Capitol, White House, Arlington National Cemetery, Memorials - PATRIOTISM April 13, 2016 "A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle." - George William Congressman Ed Royce treated SFA to something spectacular! He met us at 7:30 a.m. at the Capitol and took us on a personal tour of the building. We entered the Capitol before any other visitors and were granted access to the House floor. Karun mentioned he wanted to be a politician and Congressman Royce invited him to give a speech at the President's podium! The secret service weren't very pleased but he finished his speech nonetheless. Then we were invited out onto the Speaker's Balcony to enjoy one of the best views from the Capitol. Students toured the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court. We spent time at Arlington National Cemetery and Mr. Waszak was able to lay a wreath on behalf of the school at President Kennedy's eternal flame. It was such an honor and very moving. We then traveled to the White House where we had a tour of the East Wing, Red Room, Green Room and Blue Room. While we didn't see President Obama, we noticed the flag was flying high which meant that the president was present. We dined at Capitol Hill Club, the unofficial Republic Party headquarters. Everyone was dressed very nicely and enjoyed some fine dining in a private room. We ended the evening viewing Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln, and WWII Memorials. Our students felt pride today about being an American - from the grandeur and history of the White House to the tomb of the unknown soldier. Understanding the rich traditions upheld today in Congress and honoring the sacrifices of those who fought in battle at the tomb of the unknown soldier, our students felt pride about being an American.
Day 6 - Ford s Theater, National Archives, National Mall, Smithsonian Museum of American History, Basilica, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials & Dinner Cruise - PEACE & CELEBRATION April 14, 2016 Today marked the 151st anniversary of the assassination of President Lincoln. On this somber day, we had the honor of walking the final steps he took that evening through DC and then walked through Ford Theater to see where he was shot. We then walked over to the Peterson House across the street where they brought President Lincoln for medical attention. We saw the room and the bed where he died on Friday, April 15. What an honor to walk in the final footsteps of this great leader. Luck was on our side and we walked right in to the National Archives where we were able to view the Declaration of independence, Bill of Rights and the Constitution. All of these original documents are preserved in a beautiful room to prevent further fading and damage. We had a special treat and met up with SFA alumni Maggie Morris for lunch on the National Mall. She is finishing up her freshman year at George Washington University and the students enjoyed asking her questions about college life. We then journeyed out to the Catholic Basilica where we took a tour to learn about all the chapels and artifacts. We saw the chair that several pope s have sat in when they visited and took pics with a life size version of Pope Francis. Just being in the Basilica was very peaceful and students seemed to enjoy the quiet, reflective time. After spending an hour getting ready, we took a reverent tour of the Korean and Vietnam War Memorials. These memorials were a stark reminder that sometimes peace has a high price. It was overwhelming to see how many names were inscribed on the Vietnam Memorial for lives that were lost in battle. These memorials not only honor those who sacrificed their lives but also hopefully encourage us to work together for peace, so more memorials will not have to be built in the future. Franklin D. Roosevelt stated, The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation, it must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world. We ended our evening in celebration on the Odyssey Potomac River Dinner and Dance Cruise. All of our students dressed up and looked amazing. We were treated to a 3 course dinner and everything was delicious. A band and dj played music - everything from classic r & b to current hip hop/pop songs. While the students started the festivities, the staff couldn t help themselves. They got out there and boogied down. Mr. Waszak even learned how to whip & nay nay. This was an excellent celebration to end our week of travels!
Day 7 - Mount Vernon, Old Town Alexandria, Washington Monument, Martin Luther King and FDR Memorials, Departure Home - GRATITUDE April 15, 2016 Students packed their bags, loaded the bus and were ready for another day of adventure. We visited Mount Vernon plantation, home of George Washington. We were able to walk through his mansion and learned he had a special gift of hospitality. He never turned away a visitor and consequently had hundreds of visitors during his lifetime. We rode on a horse drawn wagon, walked to his personal wharf and of course, shopped in their large gift store. We then enjoyed lunch in Old Town Alexandria. Everyone split up in groups and enjoyed local fare. Kristin our tour guide was able to get tickets for the elevator at the Washington Monument. 50 floors up, we enjoyed views of everything we visited over the past few days. The skies were clear and beautiful. When the students came back down, they rested their weary feet on the monument and took pictures of their shoes, looking like their feet were reaching up to heaven. We finished our tour with a visit to the FDR and MLK memorials. We felt so much gratitude for the contributions each of these men made to our country. FDR served four terms as president and the monument really reflected his strength and determination. MLK looked like he was walking out of the stone as he towered over us looking ahead to the future. We were sad to load the bus as it meant our trip was coming to a close. We prayed over our bus driver in gratitude for his careful driving all week and thanked our tour guide, who helped guide us, provide for our needs, answer a million questions from our students and patiently adjusted the schedule as needed throughout our trip. The students even invited her to join them for the 8th grade Disney day so they could give her a tour! We were very proud of our students this week. They were engaged in all activities, worked together for the good of all, listened to the directions of the supervisors, were respectful at meals and with tour guides, and genuinely seemed grateful for this experience. They walked 49 miles this week and really did not complain, even when we woke them up early for tours! This was a trip of a lifetime for our students and we hope they carry these memories with them wherever their path leads them after SFA! Thank you parents for entrusting your students to our care and keeping. They were truly a joy to travel with on the East Coast!