Eighth graders bonded and forged unforgettable memories during their four-day visit to Washington, D.C from April 19-22. During the trip, students were accompanied by eighth-grade coordinator Mrs. Noreen Jafri, and chaperones Ms. Dina Congregane, Mrs. Erika Del Rocco, and Mr. Jeffrey Martin.
Although government buildings and some museums were not open to large groups due to COVID, the lovely weather facilitated the group’s outdoor stops. On arrival in D.C, the students visited the National Archives to view the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Magna Carta.
Eighth graders reflected on the designs and symbolism in different memorials. Students visited the Martin Luther King Jr., Lincoln, Jefferson, Pentagon 9/11, WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War Veterans Memorials, and many other memorials.
“I enjoyed visiting the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and going inside it since I did that memorial for my history project. I was then able to compare and contrast the differences,” Ethan Pierre ’26 said.
Sabela Maliki’s ’26 favorite quote at the Martin Luther King Memorial was “Darkness doesn’t drive darkness, light does. Hate doesn’t drive out hate, love does.”
Students toured the grounds of the Capitol Building, they enjoyed exploring the U.S Botanical Gardens, and National Portrait Gallery.
“My two favorite places from D.C were the Botanical Garden and the Arlington Cemetery. The Botanical Gardens were beautiful and scenic whereas the cemetery was somber and humble. The changing of the guard was really cool to see as well,” Aryan Nair ’26 said.
On the last day of the trip, students made connections with their history and science classes in the American History Museum and Natural History Museum, respectively. The students certainly received a wonderful combination of educational experiences and good times on this busy trip.
“I enjoyed getting closer to our teachers and friends,” Mohisha Jha ’26 said.