Middle School Student Council Visits DC

Members of the Middle School Student Council recently visited Washington, DC for some firsthand interactions with history and government.

For three days, 11 8th grade students and three teachers explored DC’s museums and civic attractions with expert guides from the Close Up Foundation. The multi-day excursion helped students better understand events that shaped American history and explore curated collections of the country's art and culture. 

The group toured the African-American Museum of History and Culture, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian American History Museum, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and the Air Force Monument. Students took in Capitol Hill, experienced the legislative process from the congressional galleries and visited the office of Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth.

Student Graham Deason was struck when he learned how much inequality in income shapes the U.S. and offered, “This trip made it clear how much our country needs to be educated.”

Classmate Bradley Bzdusek learned more about everyone’s vital role in speaking up for our rights and voting. “In a democracy, everyone gets the right and responsibility to vote for who they think is the best for our country.”

Vivienne Guess was impressed by the civic action when she witnessed citizens demonstrating for what they thought was right while visiting the Board of Education, and Whitney Mathias believes this trip helped her “grow as a citizen and leader by developing my understanding of speaking out for what I believe in and developing my understanding of politics.”

All who participated left with a better appreciation for our country’s history and all that Washington DC has to offer.

Relive the trip DC through photos here.