As the seniors at Morgan Township begin to hit the final stretch of high school, the realization that it will soon be over hits them as they embark on the senior trip. The senior trip is an annual event in which the graduating class travels to Washington D.C. to explore the nation's capital and enjoy one last trip together.
On March 11th, 30 seniors boarded the Royal Excursions tour bus along with the two daredevil chaperones Ms. Jessica Spies and Mr. Gary Cauley. Once the luggage was piled below the bus and everyone had used the bathroom, the bus set off for the 10 hour journey stopping every now and then for a restroom and stretch break.
Although sleeping on a bus isn't always the most comfortable thing to do, the students found ways to pass the time such as watching movies, playing charades, and even singing some karaoke. By the time the sun was beginning to rise, the first glimpse of Washington was in sight. Immediately everyone was excited and even antsier to reach their destination. The morning started as all good mornings should, with a buffet breakfast at the Hard Rock Cafe. After eating their fill, they were greeted by their tour guide for the trip, Bob. Bob was an awesome tour guide and definitely made the trip even more fun!
Up until recently, the Washington Monument has been closed to go up in, however, since it's now open, the seniors had the opportunity to take a ride in the elevator to the very top, a whole 5555 feet! The view from above was breathtaking and made any fear of heights go away. After taking in the view, the group gathered around to continue an exciting day in D.C.
It is a great honor to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington. Two of the students, Tyler Hartley and Morgan Jones, had the opportunity to represent Morgan Township and do just that. It was an awesome experience to witness the changing of the guards and to see the amount of respect for those who have served. Although both confessed to being a little nervous, they both agreed that it was something that they will only get to do once in their lives and will always remember.
Before leaving for Washington, everyone was told that there would be a lot of walking involved. Never has a statement been truer. Washington, being as vast as it is proved to be quite the hike for seniors who haven't had gym class for two years. Even though one of the students was in a wheelchair, her fellow classmates took turns pushing her over all types of terrains and made the whole walking experience a fun one. This high energy group was so amped up they even had enough energy to take a swim at the hotel and release some steam before bed.
The next two days proved to be just as adventurous as the first. These adventures including war memorial such as Iwo Jima, president memorials, such as the Jefferson Memorial, and even stopping for a photo in front of the Capitol building. Inside the Capitol, students had the opportunity to take a guided tour through various rooms and even walk where past and future presidents have walked. Once finished there they took an underground tunnel to the Library of Congress where books such as the original Gutenberg Bible are displayed. It was a very interesting experience and was enjoyed by all.
One of the highlights of the trip was the Holocaust Museum. Since so many of the students have taken German classes and even more know the history of Germany, the class appreciated the time frame they had to explore the four floors and read the history of Hitler's reign and hear stories from survivors. Although it is a tragic event that occurred in history, it taught the class how to appreciate what they have and how to understand the seriousness of the issue.
The students also enjoyed Mt. Vernon and had a great time exploring George Washington's home. The view from the porch was breathtaking a provided a great photo opportunity. Students were surprised with the colors of the wall and were even more surprised that those were the original colors Washington had chosen. Turquoise back then was a color of wealth and coated Washington's dining room. Aside from the odd array of colors, students enjoyed seeing his bedroom, office, and exploring the grounds upon which the house sits. As the second day of the trip came to an end, back at the hotel students packed their bags and got some rest before their last day in D.C.
This day was full of fun and laughter even though it started with rain. Regardless of the weather, the class visited the White House and got to speak with a representative from the longest anti-war protest. After that the storm began to subside and the sun came out making for a beautiful day in Washington. The last thing the group did was visit the National Mall. Some people were disappointed to find that shopping wasn't involved while others were eager to visit this famous landmark. The groups divided and left their tour guide to go explore the different museums. While some went to each museum and took in as much as they could, others chose to focus on just one museum and take their time viewing all of the artifacts. Some of the students even mingled with people who passed by which eventually turned into a large scale dance battle with over 40 people observing them. Regardless of what each individual chose to do, fun was had by all.
The bus ride home was filled with bittersweet feelings. Then, the 30 seniors began to sing the chant that Bob had taught them; Ain't no party like an Indiana party cause the Indiana party don't stop! After about 25 times of singing the chant, everyone settled in and just relaxed and enjoyed one another's company for the long journey home.
As the bus pulled into the school parking lot at 7 am on Sunday morning, everyone was glad that they had gone on the trip and was more than satisfied with the experience they had experienced.
Now that the trip is over and spring break is here, everyone is a little sensitive about the subject of graduation because it is so close. This senior class is unlike any other, they all love and care about each other. The senior trip to Washington, provided them the opportunity for one last hoorah together and instilled memories in them that will last a lifetime, because there ain't no party like an Indiana party cause the Indiana party don't stop.
Almost there!! Class of 2015
