Upcoming DC Trip for the 8th Grade: What to Know by Mari Vande Poel
The class of 2027 8th graders will be going to Washington, DC on Tuesday, April 25th and come back on Saturday, April 29. This is a very exciting trip and they will go to many different places. The days will be filled with lots of activities and walking around. I’ve been on this trip, so I’ll be giving a general summary of the trip along with some tips and things to know.
On Tuesday, students will go to school like a normal day and come back later at 7:30 to be picked up by their bus. I went on this trip last year: the buses are very large and comfortable with bathrooms on the back. They will leave about 30 minutes later and have a 10-12 hour drive with scheduled breaks to get gas and go to the bathroom. It’s best to not stink up the back of the bus, so I’d recommend trying to hold it unless absolutely necessary. Another thing to know, is to bring pillows and blankets as the 8th graders will be sleeping on the bus ride.
They’ll arrive the next day early in the morning, at 8am in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. There's lots of cool things here that they’ll do, like seeing the film and cyclorama. This was very cool! Later in the day they’ll head to Washington DC, arriving at around 3. They’ll have a guided bus and walking tour of some of the cool things there. They’ll end the day with dinner and shopping at the Pentagon City Mall. I’d recommend staying together here with a group of friends so that you don’t get lost. You’ll probably want to shower in your hotel every night because you’ll be sweaty from walking all day. (This will also be nice to the people you room with so it won’t smell in there.)
Day 2 is filled with even more cool things and lots of walking. This is the day that they’ll get their group photo in front of the Capitol! The day our group did this, it was rainy and wet. So in general, I would prepare for any weather as this trip won’t be as sunny and warm as last year (we went in June). Other cool things to look forward to for day 2 are The Spy Museum, The Holocaust Museum, and a guided illuminated night tour (this was really cool). The Holocaust Museum is very historic and tragic, so it is required that everyone is silent to really be able to capture the effect of these events. Take this seriously and really try to learn something; this is a really great opportunity.
The 3rd and final day in DC will be very exciting. Make sure to not leave anything at the hotel as the night before was the last stay there. The day starts with the Ford Theatre. This is the actual theater where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. You’ll get to see the White House today as well. The wreath laying will happen at Arlington Cemetery this day. Although it may not be as hot as last year, make sure to bring a water bottle because this will be a lot of walking. One of my favorite memorials we visited was the 9/11 memorial. It's really interesting if you pay attention to the detail and thought process of it. The day will finish with a dinner cruise (a new addition that didn’t happen last year). Then there will be another long bus ride home (10-12 hours). Make sure to try to get some sleep, the bus will arrive at 9:30 the next morning (Saturday, April 29).
This is going to be a very exciting trip for the 8th graders! This is such a great privilege that Saugatuck is still doing this.
On Tuesday, students will go to school like a normal day and come back later at 7:30 to be picked up by their bus. I went on this trip last year: the buses are very large and comfortable with bathrooms on the back. They will leave about 30 minutes later and have a 10-12 hour drive with scheduled breaks to get gas and go to the bathroom. It’s best to not stink up the back of the bus, so I’d recommend trying to hold it unless absolutely necessary. Another thing to know, is to bring pillows and blankets as the 8th graders will be sleeping on the bus ride.
They’ll arrive the next day early in the morning, at 8am in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. There's lots of cool things here that they’ll do, like seeing the film and cyclorama. This was very cool! Later in the day they’ll head to Washington DC, arriving at around 3. They’ll have a guided bus and walking tour of some of the cool things there. They’ll end the day with dinner and shopping at the Pentagon City Mall. I’d recommend staying together here with a group of friends so that you don’t get lost. You’ll probably want to shower in your hotel every night because you’ll be sweaty from walking all day. (This will also be nice to the people you room with so it won’t smell in there.)
Day 2 is filled with even more cool things and lots of walking. This is the day that they’ll get their group photo in front of the Capitol! The day our group did this, it was rainy and wet. So in general, I would prepare for any weather as this trip won’t be as sunny and warm as last year (we went in June). Other cool things to look forward to for day 2 are The Spy Museum, The Holocaust Museum, and a guided illuminated night tour (this was really cool). The Holocaust Museum is very historic and tragic, so it is required that everyone is silent to really be able to capture the effect of these events. Take this seriously and really try to learn something; this is a really great opportunity.
The 3rd and final day in DC will be very exciting. Make sure to not leave anything at the hotel as the night before was the last stay there. The day starts with the Ford Theatre. This is the actual theater where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. You’ll get to see the White House today as well. The wreath laying will happen at Arlington Cemetery this day. Although it may not be as hot as last year, make sure to bring a water bottle because this will be a lot of walking. One of my favorite memorials we visited was the 9/11 memorial. It's really interesting if you pay attention to the detail and thought process of it. The day will finish with a dinner cruise (a new addition that didn’t happen last year). Then there will be another long bus ride home (10-12 hours). Make sure to try to get some sleep, the bus will arrive at 9:30 the next morning (Saturday, April 29).
This is going to be a very exciting trip for the 8th graders! This is such a great privilege that Saugatuck is still doing this.