At the close of my first year in Hampstead, an administrator was needed to attend the 8th grade field trip to Philadelphia and New York City. Since I had no other commitments, and love to travel, I readily volunteered.  That was five years ago. This week I boarded the bus to accompany my 5th and final group of 8th graders on a trip to Washington DC.  On these trips, I’m always a chaperone before the tourist, but that doesn’t stop me from being the tour guide.

This trip began as many in the past with a day in Philadelphia. Each year we’ve seen different sites including the constitution museum, the Betsy Ross House, the Franklin printing press, and of course the Liberty Bell. Last year we were able to enter the House chambers of Independence Hall. This year, our tour included all the important rooms of Independence Hall including the meeting room where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the upstairs Senate chamber. I enjoy Philadelphia and am glad the students have the opportunity to visit the nation’s first capital.

This was my third trip to Washington DC with the school, and like Philly we’ve seen new things each year. This year our students were able to spend time visiting many of the Smithsonian museums. The Museum of American History is always a treat, and I loved seeing the Swedish Chef, Lola’s costume, and the Batmobile.

We were all amazed at how much they loved the museum of natural history. How can you not love dinosaur bones and hanging whales and sharks.

Probably the most memorable tour of the trip was through the Holocaust museum. The memorial is a poignant reminder of the evil that can happen when good people are silent in the face of bigotry and hatred. Our students were moved by the display, and the chorus sang a wonderful Jewish hymn outside the museum.

 

A highlight for me was to share the story of my uncle Bob who’s plane was shot down in Laos during the Vietnam War. I shared this story the week before the trip so that when they saw the wall, there might be a personal connection. The students were more than respectful, and seeing his name on the wall was very meaningful.

Our trip concluded with a trip to Arlington Cemetery. Unfortunately, many of the students had not been eating, sleeping, or taking in fluids well. A couple of the students fainted during the ceremony and needed medical attention. A third student needed to be taken to the emergency room. My job as administrator required I attend  her in the ambulance with another teacher. Though she recovered fairly quickly, the doctor’s tests took longer than the buses could wait. The three of us had to fly home rather than ride the bus with the group. As it turned out, we beat the bus. I guess there’s always a silver lining.

As one of my final activities with the Hampstead School District, I was proud to be a chaperone to these students. My group of boys proved themselves to be mature and responsible. I will certainly miss these trips, and this district. My time here has been a wonderful adventure in itself. Though the new job will offer new challenges, I will not forget the little district that provided me this opportunity to live in New England, and experience it like a tourist!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller