Trip Recap - Day 1

Greetings from Washington, DC!  

After a long drive through the night, we made it to our hotel in Landover, Maryland around 7:30 Wednesday morning.  After using some changing rooms to wash up and eating a warm breakfast, we were back on the road at 9:00 on our way to the US Capitol to meet with Congressman Mark Pocan (representing Wisconsin’s Second District – which includes Deerfield).  We had a very informative visit with Congressman Pocan, where he answered questions about what his role is in the government and which committees he sits on, his personal path to the US Congress, and about issues that he supports.  Minutes before he met with us, he had a vote about TikTok – and he spent a long time discussing that legislation and his vote with the students (who were very interested in that discussion!).

After our meeting on Capitol Hill, we had time at the Smithsonian Museums.  Most students started by exploring the newly re-opened Air & Space Museum.  We then split into smaller groups and visited other Smithsonians, including American History, Natural History, and the National Art Gallery.  

Mid-afternoon, the whole group visited the US Holocaust Museum.  This is a powerful museum that both teaches about the horrible events from WWII but also allows you to reflect on it.  After that somber learning experience, we headed towards the Georgetown area of DC to have dinner.  After dinner, we visited some of the monuments and memorials on the Mall – including the WWII Memorial (right at sunset!), the Lincoln Memorial, and both the Vietnam and Korean War memorials.  

We’re back at the hotel for some much-needed R&R.  After being in 7 different states and the District, and being in 75 degree weather all day, we’re all looking forward to a good night sleep!