The History Club went on its trip to Washington, D.C. over spring break. They group left Beloit on Sunday, March 10, at 1 am and boarded Southwest Airlines in Kansas City to Baltimore. When they arrived in Baltimore, they met their tour guide and bus driver for the trip. The group then headed to Washington, D.C. 

The Beloit group stands in front of the White House. While there, they got to take pictures and hear history about the street in front of the White House.

After arriving in Washington, the group visited the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Everyone then got dinner and went on a guided night tour, where they saw the WWII, Lincoln and Korean War Veterans Memorials.

Foreign exchange student Emile Lechien kneels in front of his home country’s engraving. This was at one of the memorials in downtown Washington, D.C.

On day two, they toured the FDR Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. They ate lunch at the Capitol and then took a guided tour. The group then took the bus to Mount Vernon. While there, they got to lay a wreath at Washington’s grave. They then traveled to Alexandria, Va., ate dinner and went to the town square. There they were given haunted ghost tours of Alexandria, which consisted of many stories of actual events in certain buildings. These buildings that were shown are all said to be haunted.

The Beloit group poses for a photo in front of George Washington’s grave. They got to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony with the other Kansas school on the trip.

The group gathers in front of George Washington’s plantation. While here, they got to walk around and see the 16-sided barn as well as the property itself.

The group boarded the bus on day three to head to Arlington Cemetery. After watching the changing of the guards, the group headed to the Holocaust Museum. They were then given free rein to explore the National Archives or the Smithsonian. They then attended a performance of “Shear Madness” at the John F. Kennedy Center. 

On the last day, the group visited the Washington National Cathedral and rode the metro. They then flew out of Reagan National Airport on their way back to Kansas City.

Tatum Seyfert, Sophie Easter, Carlee Domann, Heather Weston, Maddie Black, and Kassie Domann ride the subway. This was a new experience for all of the students on the trip.

“I liked visiting the monuments and my favorite was the Vietnam Memorial,” said foreign exchange student Emile Lechien.

The Beloit group rides the escalator down to the subway station. This was on the last day of the trip.