Midwinter Weekend: Washington, DC Trip 2017

On February 17, in the early hours of the morning, students piled onto the bus with duffel bags and small suitcases for their trip to Washington, DC. Seventh, eighth, and ninth graders had the opportunity to visit iconic museums and monuments, such as the Smithsonians and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Memorials aside, we also went for a walk around the White House, spent an afternoon on the Mall, went on a cruise on the Potomac River, and more. During the three days, we all learned more than we expected to learn about American history, ranging from the freedom of press to the Holocaust.

Thankfully, the weather in DC was a lot milder than the weather in Massachusetts, which made for an overall slightly better trip than last year’s. The temperatures also allowed us to go out on the Mall for a bit to get some fresh air and just enjoy the present.

If I’m being honest, the DC trip is rarely ever a first choice for the Midwinter weekend, and stands second to the Quebec trip. Compared to American history, Quebec is a little more exotic, and provides students with a way to find enjoyment despite the chilly weather. Students marvel at ice sculptures, go snow tubing, dog sledding, and more. But I suppose that the few things that the DC-goers find more interesting than Quebec is the little moments at the museums.

You’ll find yourself looking at a model of the prototype airplane the Wright brothers invented, and think back to whenever you first learned about aviation. You’ll stand in the center of the crypt, maybe wondering what it was like back in the 1800’s. You’ll stand before a statue important historical figure, and maybe you’ll remember that they were a real person who made changes to the world we live in right now. All the units that you studied for and everything you’ve learned is suddenly brought to life, instead of being nothing but text on a blank document, and places like museums just have a way of doing that for you.

And, let’s face it, you can’t walk through an exhibition hall without thinking about Night at the Museum.

(Photographs courtesy of Jerry Wang ‘17)

Maddie Lee ‘17