School News
Manatee Bay Fifth Graders Meet the President By Stacey Bomser
Meeting President Obama was definitely the highlight of the trip, but another exciting moment came when two Manatee Bay students were selected to lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Ms. Lenhart says Student Council President Isabella Montano and Vice President Gabby Santoro were given the honor of walking with one of the soldiers and laying the wreath. While in Washington D.C., the students also toured the U.S. Capitol, National Archives (to view the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution), Ford’s Theater, Smithsonian Museum of President Obama shakes hands with Juhlien Gonzalez, a Manatee Bay fifth grade student. American History, Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, and viewed all of the major memorials (Lincoln ifth graders at Manatee Bay Memorial, Roosevelt Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Elementary School take an annual trip to Martin Luther King Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Washington D.C. In the past, students have met Vietnam Memorial, and Iwo Jima Memorial). Special with Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz and nighttime activities were planned including a White seen Speaker of the House John Boehner, but this House walk-about to see the National Christmas year’s trip topped all that. While on a tour of the White Tree and Pathway of Peace and ice skating at the House, the Manatee Bay students, teachers and chap- Pentagon Row Outdoor Rink. erones got to meet the President of the United States -Ms. Lenhart says the trip to Washington D.C. fits many even got the chance to shake hands and speak well with the fifth grade social studies curriculum. with President Obama. “Part of our curriculum covers the three branches of
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Evening activities included skating at the Pentagon Row outdoor rink.
Students try to stay dry in Colonial Williamsburg
Fifth grade teacher Erin Lenhart, who organized the class trip, says getting to tour the White House was a big deal in and of itself because of the long process of getting approved for the tour. “To get in the White House and be able to meet President Obama, that was the absolute perfect way to end our week in Washington,” shares Ms. Lenhart. The President generally does not meet White House tour guests, but on this particular day talk show host Steve Harvey was filming an interview with the President and suggested they surprise some of the tour guests. The Manatee Bay tour group had perfect timing because they were videotaped greeting the President. One of the most memorable moments was when Juhlien Gonzalez shook the President’s hand. Noticing the striking similarity of their ears, the President told Juhlien “You have ears just like me. They give you some special power.” The President spoke to several of the Manatee Bay students. “President Obama told me to have a Merry Christmas and then I told him he was my inspiration and he replied ‘That’s so sweet. Thank you.’” shares Amanda Schneider.
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government, how and why government was created, a constitution and its purpose, and the events surrounding the creation of some of the United States’ most important documents.” To prepare students for the trip, the fifth grade team spends time discussing some of the monuments and memorials students will see while in our nation’s capital. “We have students make travel brochures and do some basic research about the things they will see in Washington DC, so they have a little background knowledge when we get there,” explains Ms. Lenhart. The trip also includes a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, former capitol of the Virginia Colony, and the Jamestown Settlement, the first permanent English settlement. “Taking the fifth graders to Colonial Williamsburg allows them to step back into the 17th century and understand what life was like during colonial times.” This semester students will learn more about colonial times. “We discuss the economic, political and socio-cultural motivation for colonial settlement as well as daily life in the thirteen colonies,” says Ms. Lenhart.
February 2014 | OUR CITY WESTON
Ms. Lenhart, Gabby Santoro and Isabella Montano at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Photos courtesy David Lenhart.
Students visited the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.
Chaperones Deputy Mark Skolnick, Marisa Campbell, Erin Lenhart, Shairin Brown, Lisa Leider, Susan Beiner, David Lenhart, Robin McClain, Leonard McClain, Lisa Weingartner, Marie Price-Dumervil, and Boniee Serapiglia.