Today was a busy day for the National History Academy as the students and teachers braved D.C. traffic in order to visit our nation’s capital. The first stop of the day was the Lincoln Memorial. From the steps of the memorial, one has a gorgeous view of the mall, Washington Monument and the Capitol building. For many of the students, this was their first time at the memorial which requires a selfie with Abe Lincoln. A second noteworthy sight at the memorial was a plaque where Martin Luther King Jr stood when he delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech. After posing for a quick group photo, the students loaded up the buses and headed to the Newseum. This museum is dedicated to Journalism.
Walking through the exhibits, students were able to see as well as touch a section of the Berlin Wall, read newspapers from the early 1600s through 2017, and host their own news broadcast. It was instructive to see how journalism has advanced from the first printing press to today on television and social media. The third stop of the day was the American Indian Museum. Here, students were able to increase their knowledge of the first Americans and the hardships these people endured, following the colonization of America. At this museum, the academy stopped for lunch which consisted of Native American traditional foods. It was a great opportunity to not only learn something new but try it as well. For the rest of the afternoon, the students were able to explore a museum of their choice. Many visited the Air and Space Museum and were able to touch a rock sample from the moon, while others viewed art in the National Art Gallery or the National Portrait Gallery. After this long day, the Academy headed back to Foxcroft to prepare for their early morning trip on the following day, the White House.