2016 Belmonte Middle School DC Trip - Day 3: The Full Circle

What another amazing day in DC!!!

As per usual, we started the day with breakfast.  Today, in addition to bacon, home fries, and eggs, we were treated with French Toast and Sausages.  It was all quite good and gave us the fuel needed to continue on this whirlwind adventure.

Our first stop was the White House.

A continual protest in front of the White House reminds us about our right to Free Speech

A function prevented us from getting any closer, but the view certainly didn't disappoint.

The statue of Lafayette stands across from the President's house

Standing in front of the White House is one of my favorite parts of this trip.  I really love hearing the kids talk about how cool it is and how they want to go inside...some even talk about being President.  There is a lot of negatives surrounding politics today and it is refreshing to hear kids talk about some of the positives.  I've been fortunate enough to have a West Wing tour and I was able to chat with a couple of the boys about it.  They were interested and asked me a ton of questions about what the inside looks like.  I felt bad telling them that much of it looks a little old, lol. (understatement of the week)

After a few minutes at the Executive Mansion, our four buses took off for the Capital Building.  Here, we posed for pictures as a whole school.  I've written about the process before, but to sum it up quickly, the photographers have it down to a science.  I recently looked at last year's picture with some of my 9th grade students and they all had fun pointing themselves out.  It is amazing how much the kids change in one year.

It is very difficult on this trip to snap a picture of every single student.  The group size is so large that these staged portraits can be the only way it is possible.  I saw an opportunity as we lined up and did my best.

Just as I wrapped up, it looked like another bus pulled up.  If I missed your child in all of my pictures, I am so sorry.  I make a strong effort, while on a European tour, to make sure I get everyone, but I am fearful it is not possible on this trip.

We divided our groups by buses and took off for some cool sites around the Capital building.  Bus 1 walked along side the building and up to the Supreme Court building.  Afterwards, we made our way into the Library of Congress.  I hadn't been to either site before and I was as excited as the kids.

The Capital is being restored, but it is still impressive.

I'm just a Bill...

Inside the Library of Congress
For National Treasure 2 fans, this should look familiar.  

I made a pun on Instagram...but the jury is still out on whether it was funny or not.
The Supreme Court Building

This Bible was handwritten.  It is within the Library of Congress

When we finished with Capital Hill, we began to walk towards the Smithsonian Museums.  Our first stop was the Air and Space Museum.  Inside of this impressive building is one of the world's largest McDonalds.  This is where we were going to go to lunch.  We passed out the vouchers for all of the kids on Bus 1, but we were one shy.  I bit the bullet and decided to forego lunch (at McDonalds).  I had heard from our tour guide that there were a lot of food trucks just outside the museum's back entrance.  I ran over quickly and grabbed a bite to eat from the Smoking Kow BBQ.

The line of Food Trucks was about 20 trucks long.

The Smoking Kow BBQ truck was one of the coolest on the road.

Brisket Sandwich with slaw and a side of Mac n' Cheese...very delicious

  After eating my surprise lunch, I rejoined the group inside the museum.  I had decided to try something different today.  I am always running around the stops on this trip trying to catch pictures.  I thought why not have the kids help me.  I told them to tag my school Instagram account (mrlavoieshs) when they took cool pictures.  I thought that this would help with the blog and assure that they were looking at things, lol.  It kind of worked.  I got a few pictures, but because the kids' accounts are mostly private, they couldn't send me images.  They said that they would open their accounts on the bus ride home, but it will be a little too late for tonight's blog.  Regardless, they took more pictures than the ones I am providing...please check them out.

After Air and Space, we walked over to Natural History, but before we got there I had an idea.  We've really lucked out.  There hasn't been much foot traffic in the city and lines have been much smaller than before.  I thought, why not check out the National Archives.  We arrived to find no lines whatsoever.  We went right up to the Rotunda and began examining the most important documents in the country's history...maybe the worlds.  The Declaration of Independence is one of my favorite primary sources ever.  It is so beautiful.  Many people grow to love Shakespeare, but I've grown to love the declaration.  The Rotunda also has the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  You cannot photograph anything inside the Archives, but I am hoping the memory lasts with the boys I took with me.

It made me stop and think for a bit.  In April, I stood atop the Acropolis in Athens.  I wrote, that night, about the connections I was feeling between Greece and America.  I felt them again today, half a world away.

Fountain within the Sculpture Garden

Some of the boys resting their weary legs.

From the archives, we walked through the Sculpture Garden to the Museum of Natural History.  I don't have any pictures because of my contest, lol.  The kids really liked it inside.  Many of them shared their favorite exhibits with me.  After that, we went to the American History museum.  The kids really enjoyed looking at a variety of artifacts from the different eras of our history.  I took a couple quick pictures in here...realizing that my game may have failed.

A cast of Lincoln's lifemask made shortly after his death

A video camera used by the Naudet Brothers who documented 9/11 from inside the Towers
It is an amazing film.

Our buses picked us up and we departed for the hotel.  The goal was to change for the dance, but traffic stood in the way.  One bus only had 10 minutes to get ready.  The kids really showed how good they've been in this scenario.  They had plenty of reasons to complain, but they didn't.  They just made it happen.

The Cherry Blossom is one of the highlights of this trip for many kids.  It is easy to see how eager they are by how nicely they dressed for the occasion.

From all accounts, the cruise lived up to they hype. The kids danced and ate pizza and made new friends.  They talked about it the whole way home.  Home.

We will be making our way home tomorrow.  It will surely be a long ride.  The kids will be tired...and maybe even cranky, but they will soon be home.  I wrote on Day 1 about how this is kind of a last hurrah for the BMS Class of 2016.  I know they have some other activities planned, but this trip, and the trip home, encompasses something different for the kids.  I've already noticed a change in many of them.  After the cruise, while walking to the bus, one of my kids began asking me about the trips we have abroad at Saugus High School.  He said he was interested in attending as a 9th grader.  I was very impressed.  He could very well become one of these kids who will always call Saugus home even though they are traveling the world.  I've had several students graduate Saugus High School over the past few years who had visited a dozen countries each.  Travel for them has become contagious, but travel for them, didn't start with me.  It started in DC and with their 8th grade classmates.

I will be hosting a meeting soon to discuss the upcoming trip.  If anyone is interested in attending, please email me at rlavoie@saugus.k12.ma.us.  On the trip, we will be visiting four countries.  We will the Berlin Wall, a Concentration Camp, and several Cathedrals...all things the kids were exposed to while they were in the 8th grade hanging out with their friends.

I am about to close, but I wanted to take a quick second to thank the entire Belmonte Middle School staff.  They have been amazing, not only to me, but to the kids.  They are a testament to this town.  We get a lot of negative press, but it falls short of hitting some of the basic truths about education in Saugus.  Our teachers are among the most caring professionals I've ever met.  They have been bending over every which way to make sure all of these kids are having a blast.  They have had many sleepless nights and early mornings, but they've maintained a positive attitude throughout.  I am grateful to attend this trip, but I am even more grateful to work alongside these folks...as well as get to know many of them better.  Thank you again for all that you do.

I will probably write sometime tomorrow while we are headed home, but for now...that's it.

Mr. Lavoie, typing softly as to not wake anyone up at the hotel.