Thursday

This morning was kicked off with a hearty buffet breakfast at Magill's, ranging from fresh fruit and french toast to eggs and sausage gravy and biscuits (a few brave souls even tried to grits!). In all-you-can-eat buffet situations, eighth graders typically get their fill and then some...and are still hungry in an hour!

Our first stop of the day was The Newseum, a museum of media, current events and the First Amendment. Students were treated to a 4-D (yes, 4-D) movie upon entry to The Newseum, which is located next to the Canadian Embassy. After the movie, students take one of three glass elevators up six floors, past a piece of the Berlin Wall and Ground Zero, to a gorgeous view of the Washington Mall and the U.S Capitol Building. There is so much to see in this museum that it was unlikely your student saw everything - but some highlights might include the Hurricane Katrina Newspaper Display (from around the world), authentic U.S. newspapers from the seventh century through present-day, reporting during September 11th, an interactive news reporting center (student may have purchased their video to download at home), as well as a room of Pulitzer-Prize-winning photographs.

Lunch was next at the Reagan Center, essentially a huge food court (with security!), and many, many options.

Students next proceeded to the U.S. Holocaust Museum - both informative and moving. Students were incredibly engaged in the four-story museum, reading and interacting with various exhibits, ranging from the collection of Holocaust victims' shoes to survivors' interviews.

Next up: our group's picture in front of the U.S. Capitol building, followed by a short hike up Capitol Hill, and to the new Capitol Building Visitor Center - which opened in 2008. If you have not visited the Capitol for a tour recently, it is well worth the visit! We had a great tour - including individual headphone sets for all students - and a stops in the old Senate Chambers with the Secret Echo Whisper used by John Quincy Adams. We also walked past Speaker of the House John Boehnert's Office and viewed the beautiful paintings all around the Capitol Rotunda.

Finally, a quick stop past the White House and a return to the hotel for some time to freshen up, in preparation for the Cherry Blossom Boat Cruise with students from Dover-Sherborn Middle School. A great (and appropriate) time was had by all! Dinner was caesar salad and pizza from a local pizzeria in Alexandria, VA (which is where we caught the boat). The cruise was beautiful - an hour up the Potomac River towards DC, and an hour back downstream towards the Chesapeake.

We are looking forward to a great last day tomorrow!