History comes alive for students

History doesn't mean a whole lot when it's experienced through a textbook - and even the most talented teacher can only do so much to impart to a young adolescent a sense of what life was like for the people who built the country they call home.

But 38 Sisters Middle School students now have a sense of their country's history as a flesh-and-blood experience, not a dry, dusty tale of times long gone by.

The students, led by four teachers and four parent chaperones, spent a week on the East Coast in June, soaking up educational experiences - and a whole lot of fun.

The crew headed out on June 15 on a tour put together by SMS teacher Justin Nicklous in conjunction with the firm Educational Travel Services, which specializes in such trips.

The itinerary was jam packed with action.

The group went first to New York City, where they visited the Statue of Liberty, made a quick trip to Times Square and saw "The Lion King."

"It was really cool to see it on Broadway - the best of the best," said Emily Corrigan.

The experience of New York was an eye-opener for the Sisters-bred kids.

"New York ... was actually kind of trashy," said Tristan Lewis. "I expected it to be this huge, awesome city."

The crowded streets were startling. Olivia Chandler noted that, "in Sisters, if there's a crowd of quilters it's all, 'Excuse me, hon!' In New York, they just run you over."

History really came alive at Jamestown and Williamsburg, Virginia. Jamestown was the first English settlement in America and Williamsburg was the capital of Colonial Virginia. Both places feature extensive historical recreations and reenactments of early American life.

"I really liked Jamestown," Corrigan said. "The people there really seemed to know what they were talking about and I really learned a lot. It was shocking to see how they lived."

The close quarters and razor-thin edge of survival endured by the early colonists made an impression on the students. Corrigan and Chandler, both avid riders, were especially dismayed to realize that the colonists were forced to resort to eating their horses to stave off starvation.

The group traveled to George Washington's estate at Mount Vernon, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

Popular culture can give kids a sense of context for historical exploration. The kids watched both "National Treasure" movies on the bus down from New York and got a kick out of recognizing Washington, D.C. landmarks used as locations in the

movies.

They saw the original Declaration of Independence in its well-guarded display at the National Archives.

"It's hard to read 'cause it's all faded, but it's neat to see that's how the country started," said Tristan Lewis.

The myriad experiences of the Smithsonian Institute were a highlight of the trip and Nicklous said the newly-opened interactive Newseum was especially impressive, offering lots of hands-on educational experiences, including broadcast-booth simulations that were a big hit.

"It's just really well done in what it has to offer to both kids and adults," Nicklous said.

The group experienced a nighttime tour of the national memorials on The Mall and were struck by the somber power of the Holocaust Museum. They also were invited to participate in the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

There was time worked in for pure recreation - a Nationals vs. White Sox ballgame and a trip to the Busch Gardens amusement park. (Tristan Lewis allowed as how he'd say Busch Gardens was his favorite part of the trip "but that's not educational.")

Actually, the educational aspects of the trip extend beyond the formal. Nicklous notes that the experience of travel itself is an education for many of the kids, some of whom took an airplane trip for the first time on this expedition.

The kids also learned to work together as a group, even though many of the seventh and eighth graders didn't know each other well before the trip.

"I hardly knew any of the eighth graders at all and I felt like they were my best friends after the trip," said Tristan Lewis.

Under controlled circumstances, such as in the Smithsonian, the students were allowed a long rein to explore on their own in small groups.

"We didn't baby them," said parent chaperone Capi Lewis. "They learned to be very self-reliant and responsible."

By the same token, the chaperones were always on top of where the students were and what they were doing. Security and safety was always paramount for the teachers and parents and was handled well by the experienced tour company.

"I didn't feel unsafe once during the trip," Tristan Lewis said.

The tour bus driver - known affectionately as Doc the Driver - was an important element of the success of the trip. He kept the students engaged in what they were doing and, just as importantly, kept them amused.

The trip is not a school sponsored event and students and their families (including the teachers) have to come up with their own funds to make the trek. Fundraising is itself part of the experience for the students.

Nicklous organizes the East Coast trip every other year.

Emily Corrigan summed up the whirlwind experience: "Everything on the trip was really memorable and fun."

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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