Going to Washington, D.C. for a school group isn’t really anything new. A lot of schools make this journey on an annual basis. Some do it for the 8th grade class as a final middle school rite of passage. Some schools wait until the junior and seniors have had a chance to tie in the trip to a civics or government class. A trip to D.C. isn’t unusual for a school, but this one for Oakland Christian School, might be a little different.
Several months ago, Dawn Lichty, one of our secondary math teachers and D.C. trip leader, approached me about my thoughts of changing the date of the Washington trip from it’s normal time of early April (Cherry Blossom time) to the weekend of the Presidential Inauguration. It took me all of about two seconds to say, “That’s a great idea.” I had had the priviledge of attending the last inuaguration and was even fortunate to sit on the platform nineteen rows behind the President. After that moment, I always thought, if I ever have a chance to attend an inauguration again, no matter the party elected, I want to come. Little did I know the historic significance of the swearing in ceremony that next Tuesday, January 20, will bring.
OCS will be taking 71 Juniors and Seniors along with 17 adults to Washington, D.C., leaving late Friday night, January 16 and returning early Wednesday morning, January 21. The trip will include our normal visits to the National Cathedral, Washington Monument, the new Capitol Visitors Center, Arlington National Cementary and more. Every day is packed full from morning to evening. But this trip is different. History surrounds you when you are in our nation’s capital, but the historic moment of a Presidential inuaguration is something special.
I realize that this event is even more historic. President-elect Obama will be standing at the opposite end of the area where some 45 years earlier, Dr. King spoke of a dream for this country. Next Tuesday will be historic, no question about it.
But I think every inauguration is historic. Political parties battle it out for months (way too long, by the way) and when the election is over, a peaceful transition occurs for everyone to see. Take a look around the world; that’s not always the case.
So it is my prayer that our students (and adults) have the ability to grasp the moment and soak in the surroundings. Keep checking back to this site as every day I will post what we have done and seen. Next Tuesday, I will try and have more frequent updates as we wake up early, travel into the city and witness history once again.
