An Inside Look at the 8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip

By Catherine Liu

January 15, 2024

On October 17-18, 2024, 8th grade students and teachers from Jericho Middle School journeyed to Washington D.C. The trip allowed students to learn more about topics taught in class and to pay respects to a former Jericho student and veteran.

The overnight, two-day trip to Washington D.C. Trip is an annual Social Studies trip to our nation’s capital attended by most 8th grade students. Preparations for the trip begin with choosing a date the year before. In addition, the 8th grade teachers also decided what locations students would visit during the trip. This year, students visited sights such as the Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Museum of African American History, U.S. Capitol building, and Arlington National Cemetery. 

When asked about the planning process, Ms. Cantwell, who is in charge of planning the annual trip replied, “The most time-consuming [part of the process] is the rooms and the buses.” In order to ensure every student enjoys the trip fully, Ms. Cantwell tries her best to make sure that everyone is with at least one of their friends throughout the trip. “The busiest time is right before we leave, [as we make] sure everybody's on the right bus and they feel comfortable and safe,” explained Ms. Cantwell. The buses and rooms are released a few days prior to the day of the trip, allowing students to request modifications to their rooming for one reason or another.

Since its beginning, the Washington D.C. Trip has seen several modifications. The first time that 8th grade students took the trip was in November of 2017. Former JMS Principal Dr. Gately expressed that he wished for students to have the opportunity of an overnight trip. The idea was not implemented before this due to safety concerns after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Students attended the trip in 2018 and 2019. After this, the annual tradition was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic which  impacted safety and travel. According to Ms. Cantwell, “COVID hit [and] then we didn’t do [the trip in] 2020 and 2021. We went back in 2022 and this is our third year back.” The 2024 D.C. Trip was JMS’s sixth year going to the nation’s capital.

The itineraries of the trips have changed slightly over the years. In years prior, students visited Smithsonian museums and archives. However, in more recent years, the locations visited have been modified to be more focused on the 8th grade curriculum. In the most recent trip, JMS students went to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The aforementioned museums are directly correlated to units in the 8th grade JMS Social Studies curriculum. 

In conclusion, the D.C. Trip is a valuable tradition that will hopefully continue for many years to come. The experience is a memorable way for students to gain a deeper understanding of the social studies curriculum. We are grateful to the 8th grade teachers that work incredibly hard to ensure that the trip is successful, safe, and comfortable.