16 Mar WA Students Have Been Busy Learning Beyond The Campus
Over the last month, students from lower school, PREP, and upper school had the opportunity to attend various field trips spanning the state of Florida all the way up to Boston, Massachusetts. These trips have provided many educational opportunities as well as a chance for camaraderie with fellow students. Below is a recap from each field trip:
Second Grade, Miami Zoo—Second-grade students traveled to the Miami Zoo to learn about and explore the different animal habitats and exhibits. Some of the animals that students could see were elephants, monkeys, and giraffes. One of the day’s highlights was walking through a transparent tunnel where alligators were swimming above. Another highlight was exploring the Conservation Action Center. In this new indoor interpretive exhibit, they learned about polar bears, ecosystems, and conservation and crawled through a life-size python that taught them about invasive species.
Fourth Grade, St. Augustine—Students in fourth grade took a trip to the oldest city in the U.S., known for its Spanish colonial architecture and rich history. Day one included a walking tour visiting historical landmarks around the city, followed by the first set of museums, including the Colonial Quarter, the Pirate Museum, and the Potters Wax Museum, which is the first established wax museum in the country. On day two, visits included the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Old Town Trolley Tours, and the Lightner Museum featuring an immersive experience of art, architecture, history, and design. Students learned quite a bit about historical events and were excited to talk about their state history on the bus ride home.
Fifth Grade, Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center—Students in fifth grade traveled to Key Biscayne, Florida, to visit the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental education. Students participated in a naturalist-led Seagrass Adventure where they put a net into the rich seagrass to see what types of sea life they could find. The naturalist guide helped to identify each organism ranging from seahorses to pufferfish, before releasing them back into the water.
Eighth Grade, Washington D.C.—Students in eighth grade traveled to our nation’s capital for a jam-packed three-day tour of museums and memorials. Some of the many highlights from the trip included visits to the Museum of the Bible, the Holocaust Museum, the Vietnam Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean Memorial, and the Smithsonian Museum. In addition, four students were chosen to participate in the wreath-laying tradition at Arlington National Cemetary. Eighth-grade civics teacher Mr. Williams spent the last school quarter prepping the students for this trip by focusing the curriculum based on the itinerary. As a result, one of the tour guides said this was the most knowledgeable group of students he had toured!
Seventh and Eighth Grade, String Orchestra Universal Studios—String orchestra students in seventh and eighth grade traveled to Orlando, Florida, to perform at Universal Studios. Orchestra Director Mr. Schwartz said this trip is an excellent experience for students to make the connection to the importance of music in life as Universal is surrounded by musical themes as you enter into different parts of the park. After performing, students enjoyed the many rides and bonded as a musical team.
High School, Harvard Model Congress—A group of 23 students composed of sophomores and juniors had the privilege of attending the Harvard Model Congress in Boston, Massachusetts, with Mrs. Heather Moraitis and Mrs. Loren Gant serving as advisors. The trip started with a historical tour of the Freedom Trail and a tour of the Harvard campus. This year HMC had over 1,500 high school students attend this conference from various high schools across the United States. Our students had a unique opportunity to showcase their oral advocacy and debate skills by serving as a Representative or Senator in a mock Congressional Session, to advocate for the passing of legislation. Students successfully drafted legislation and secured enough votes from other Senators to get their respective bills passed!