DC Adventures & Reflections

The following is an excerpt from a note to parents from Andy Johnson, our Director of Secondary Education and one of three trip chaperones with our rising Gr 8 class in Washington, D.C.:

Hi everyone,

Today was a day packed with information, ideas, and some things that are almost too big to think about.

We started at the United States Holocaust Museum and Memorial.

This museum limits admittance to 2,000 people per day. Tickets are usually gone by 11.00-12.00 everyday. I was in line at 8.30 and I was waaaaay back. They begin handing out tickets at 10.00. We did get in at 10.45.

For me…the USHMM is the one “must do” in DC. The museum and memorial gives an incredibly sensitive, yet powerful and unambiguous look at anti-semitism and the metamorphosis of the Nazi state’s (and its allies’) response to what they called the “Jewish Questions” while presenting stories of resistance and courage. Ask your kids what they remember – in some short talks that I had with kids, they remembered courage and resistance while being affected by the scale of the Holocaust.

We spent nearly three hours in the museum and memorial. This, I think, is a Riverstone record. The kids really engaged. They read, questioned, listened and thought. I’m not sure they were all ready to go even after three hours.

Afterwards we trundled down to eat lunch in the view of the Jefferson Memorial in the Tidal Pool. After the memorial we went back up to the Mall to see the Natural History Museum (eleven kids, Kendra and I) and three kids went with Tom back to the American History Museum.

We all visited the National Air and Space Museum. There are always tons of people here and today was no different, but it seemed more manageable. I really enjoyed the WWI and WWII aircraft. I also liked getting to see some UAVs (drones) up close. A few of us spent some time looking at and talking about these aircraft that we hear so much about.

After a long day, we came back to G-town and walked down the hill to M Street where we had fantastic burgers and fries at Good Stuff Eatery. We ran into one of our school families there as well. I want to thank Heather for getting us all milkshakes for dessert! The kids (and Tom, Kendra and I) were very grateful. They were delicious.

Tommorrow we are off to see a display of 5th Grade art (including those from Riverstone) at the Department of Education, Ford’s Theater, some more art and, in the evening, in Arlington.

Your kids are amazing. Sweet, funny and super inquisitive. Thank you for sending them with us.

Andy