Best. Trip. EVER! by Toby Brooks

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2016

For Starters

Features

What a Week.............................................................................................. 4

Day One

Washington Monument............................................................ 6 Sponsored by St. Clair & Massey

Holocaust Memorial Museum......................................14 Sponsored by Affordable Self Storage of Lubbock

Lincoln Memorial........................................................................... 22 Sponsored by Ventura Homes

Korean War Memorial. ........................................................... 26 Sponsored by St. Clair & Massey

Vietnam Memorial....................................................................... 32 Sponsored by Flatland Homes

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. ......................... 38 Sponsored by Clay Enger

Day Two

United States Capitol................................................................ 44 Sponsored by Betenbough Homes

ON THE COVER:

Here, the 2016 Travelers from Lubbock-Cooper Middle School pose for a picture in busy Times Square. It was one of 25 stops the group made in an unforgettable five days in Washington D.C. and New York City.

Library of Congress...................................................................... 52 Sponsored by Chaplain Publishing

Supreme Court. .................................................................................. 58 Sponsored by JMG Designs

Fordâ€™s Theater. ..................................................................................... 64

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he very first stop on our trip was to the most elegant and stately of the locations—the Washington Monument. It is impossible not to take picture after picture as you walk up to the towering structure that was built in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk as a nod to ancient civilizations that have stood the test of time. This monument was built to honor possibly the most influential man who helped us create our own civilization that is hoped to stand the test of time. “Do you know the difference between a monument and a memorial?” asked our tour guide Deb. A few of the students had guesses, but none hit on the correct answer. “I will tell you after you view this monument,” Deb said with a smile. We waited on marble benches for our turn to ride in the elevator to the top of the 555 foot 5 1/8 inch structure. Being careful to swallow and yawn to relieve the pressure in our ears, we were ready to see our nation’s capital from such a lofty height. At the viewing area there are two windows on each side of the monument so we could see all around the beautiful city of Washington. As early as 1783 people from the Constitutional Congress discussed building a statue to honor George Washington, the general who was able to lead our ragtag army to defeat the most

accomplished military power in the world at the time—the British. In 1789, though, George Washington was elected the first President of the United States and he didn’t want to spend the limited funds of the new nation on a monument to himself, so the project was put on hold. In 1833 the Washington National Monument Society was formed and they began raising funds and getting design proposals. The design by Robert Mills was accepted. His original design called for 30 columns and numerous statues of people who were heroes in the Revolutionary War or signers of the Declaration of Independence to surround the monument. Construction started in 1848 but had to be halted in 1854 when the Washington National Monument Society went bankrupt and the designer died. Then America was embroiled in the Civil War, so the monument to our first president stood partially built until 1876 when Congress took over the funding and completion of the project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led by Lt. Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey was given the task of finishing the structure. In the almost 20 years of inactivity on the monument, the original rock quarry was depleted, so they had to use two other quarries to finish. This change in rock sources is why you can see different colors of stone on the monument.

Here is our first view of the majestic Washington Monument.

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Best. Trip. EVER.

The grass leading up to the monument was so lush and beautiful our kids said they wanted to roll in it.

These stone seats are where we waited for our tour to begin.

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When it was completed on February 21, 1885, the Washington Monument was the tallest building in the world.

Since funding was an issue, they decided to scrap the plans of the columns and statues and just maintain the elegance of the main structure, which itself was a monumental task because when it was completed on February 21, 1885, it was the tallest building in the world. That distinction was surpassed just four years later when the Eiffel Tower took over as the tallest building. Even without the honor of being the tallest, the Washington Monument is still impressive with its stone walls that are 9-13 feet thick. The capstone on the top weighs 3,300 pounds and includes an 8.9 inch aluminum tip on the very top. On that aluminum tip are the names of essential people and dates. And on the east side are the words Laus Deo, which is Latin for Praise be to God. May God bless America.

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Oh, how we need leaders of whom this could be said today!

It is difficult to imagine the scale of this structure.

Here you can see the two slightly different colors of stones used to build the monument.

Inside the cornerstone of the massive structure is a time capsule that contains a portrait of George Washington, coins, newspapers, and a copy of the Constitution. In a very unsettling conversation with a monument guard just before we ascended to the top, we were told of damage that happened to the monument when in August of 2011 an earthquake hit and visitors inside the monument were thrown around.

They had only minor injuries from the rocks and stones, but it still is the last thing you want to hear about just before you go 500 feet in the air. When he saw the panicked face of the youngest member of our travel group, he was quick to assure us that the monument was sturdily built and extremely safe. The view from the top was breathtaking. We were allowed to look out the windows to our heartsâ€™

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Here is beautiful Washington D.C. from one of the windows in the viewing area.

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Best. Trip. EVER.

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ONE Here are some of the memorial bricks donated to the cause.

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content before waiting for an elevator to take us back down. On the way, the elevator operator stopped so we could see some of the 193 commemorative stones donated to the project by private citizens, community groups, or even other countries. Each state has donated a stone as well, and the guide told us that even in stone donation some of the states were competitive and wanted to donate a stone that was larger than the others. While the monument was a sight to behold, I think these kids from Texas were almost just as impressed with the soft grass that surrounds the hill the monument stands on. The Washington Monument is a fitting testimony to the strength and leadership of the man who helped form a new government here along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

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Holocaust Memorial Museum

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sponsored by This is outside the Holocaust Memeorial Museum.

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here books are burned, in the end people will be burned,” said Heinrich Heine, a German Jewish poet. Along with many others, this quote was displayed in the Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Holocaust Memorial Museum is a huge tribute to all of those who were persecuted during the Holocaust. The main purpose of this establishment is to inform people of the lives lost and to honor those who died. On September 27, 1979, the commission to build the Holocaust Memorial Museum was submitted to President Carter. It was chaired by Elie Wiesel, the author of the book Night and Holocaust survivor. In 1980, Congress unanimously established the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, whose chief responsibility was building the museum. The entire cost of building the museum, a whopping $200 million, was paid for entirely by private donations. On April 22, 1993, dedication ceremonies were held for the museum. Bill Clinton (the President of the United States at the time), Chaim Herzog (Israel’s president), Harvey Meyerhoff (chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council), and Elie Wiesel (Nobel Peace Prize winner, author, and Holocaust survivor) all delivered speeches

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at the dedication ceremony. The museum officially opened to visitors a couple days later on April 26, 1993. In the Holocaust Memorial Museum, there is one main exhibit and many other small exhibits. The small exhibits include Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story which is mostly for children and families. It recounts the Holocaust from the point of view of a child in Nazi Germany and has artifacts from the Holocaust including some small toy trucks, a pair of shoes, and many pictures that children in the Holocaust drew. There is also an extensive research library and archives, two theaters, the Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, The Children’s Tile Wall, as well as an interactive computer learning center, and classrooms. There is the Hall of Witnesses, the Hall of Remembrance, an educational center, and the main exhibit, simply titled “The Holocaust.” The main exhibit, The Holocaust, spans over three floors with the other exhibits on the fourth floor. This exhibit is the full history of the Holocaust in chronological order told through historical documents, authentic artifacts, photographs, film footage, oral and video histories, and much more. These artifacts and documentations are grouped into three sections: “Nazi Assault,” “The Final Solution,” and “Last Chapter.” When you first enter The

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McKenna is choosing an identification card.

How could so many people see their neighbors taken and not do anything to help them?

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Many members of this baseball team are Jewish. It was so moving to walk through the museum and see a dad try to explain this horror to his son. May we never forget.

father died when she was only 8 years of age. She grew up on her motherâ€™s mountain farm, becoming a weaver at age 14. She married and moved with her husband to Husseren-Wesserling, giving birth to a daughter in 1930. She moved in 1933 to Mulhouse. I then went through the first floor which tells of the typical life of a Jew in Germany. It also hints at the rising tension between the Jews and the Germans. The

Holocaust exhibit, you are given an identification card, male or female. It details the life of someone who lived during the Holocaust. Some of the people on the cards were liberated, while some were not. My identification card told of the life of Emma Arnold, born in Strasbourg, France, on April 17, 1898. On the first page, it described how she was born to Catholic parents and how her 16 |

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card instructs you to read the first page, go through the 4th floor, and then read the second page. The second page was in Emmaâ€™s point of view from 19331939. It told Emma, along with her family decided to become Jehovahâ€™s Witnesses. It said that she kept house and taught her daughter music, painting, knitting, sewing, cooking, and gardening. Her family studied the Bible and taught her daughter

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What a moving reminder that the victims of the Holocaust had families and lives and dreams before those were all taken from them.

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ONE All belongings were confiscated from Jews including these shoes.

This wall lists people who risked their own lives to help people escape the Holocaust.

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First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak for me. -Martin Niemöller

Daniel’s story is told in part through journal entries. Daniel’s family would have been forced to wear this badge to mark them as Jews.

about Jehovah and how important it was to obey His commandments. She says that life in Mulhouse was “peaceful and quite under the French.” The 3rd floor is all about Hitler and his plans for Nazi Germany. It tells of how Hitler took control of the immediate area around him. When I finished the 3rd floor, I turned the page and read about the second floor. 18 |

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The dates on this page are from 1940-1944. It says that the Germans occupy Mulhouse in June 1940 and the Andersons are not free to be Jehovah’s Witnesses any longer. Her husband was arrested in 1941 by the Gestapo, and her daughter was seized in 1943. She returned to her mother’s farm, but she was arrested in September 1943. She

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then was moved to the Vorbruck-Schirmeck camp in Alsace, being moved again to the Gaggenau branch camp in 1944. She was originally assigned to sewing and mending, but later sent to be a housemaid for an SS family. She said that despite the pressure, nothing broke her faith. The 2nd floor told all about what it was like in the concentration

Michael & Lori Postar David & Becky Postar Proud supporters of Lubbock-Cooper Middle School

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They had Daniel’s Story set up to show children what Daniel’s bedroom might have looked like before the Nazis came to power.

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camps and about what was going on with the other countries debating if they were going to send help or not. It basically told about what a day in the life of a Jew in a concentration camp was like. The final page in Emma Arnold’s Best. Trip. EVER.

identification card said, “Emma was liberated by the French army in 1945. She returned to France, where she was reunited with her husband and daughter.” Emma survived the Holocaust, luckily, also being reunited with her husband and daughter;

however, most people in the Holocaust weren’t as lucky. That is why the Holocaust Memorial Museum is so influential. It certainly made me think about our world and how we can prevent anything like this ever happening again.

This would have been where Daniels’s family stayed when they were taken from their homes.

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Lincoln Memorial

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was born and raised in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln. And my brother shares a birthdate (February 12th) with our famous 16th President, so I have always felt a connection to Abraham Lincoln. For this reason I was excited to learn more about the Lincoln Memorial. The land the memorial is built on didn’t even exist when people started talking of building a memorial to the president who saved the Union. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers deepened the Potomac River and the landscape changed. But someone saw the potential of the muddy deposits made by the river and decided this is where we should place a memorial to Lincoln. Very soon after he was assassinated, people started talking about creating a national memorial to Abraham Lincoln. In fact, only two years after his death Congress passed a bill to appoint a commission for the task. Clark Mills’ design was chosen, but again funds were an issue and the project was dropped until a Senator from Illinois, Shelby M. Cullom, relentlessly proposed new legislation to get the project moving again. Beset by opposition from another lawmaker from Illinois, Joseph Cannon, the first five appropriations bills were voted down, but the sixth bill passed in 1910 and the project was up

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and running again with William H. Taft in charge of the project. Completion of this memorial was much quicker than that of the Washington Monument. Construction began in 1914, and the memorial was dedicated in 1922. Henry Bacon was the designer of the building, Daniel French was the sculptor of the statue, and Jules Guerin was the painter of the murals. The steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial begin at the edge of the Reflecting Pool. Lincoln is facing toward the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument on the other side. Although the seated statue of Lincoln is 19 feet tall, the entire structure is 99 feet tall. They had to add special lighting so Lincoln’s face would be illuminated at all times of the day. There are 36 columns that support the massive structure. These represent the 36 states at the time of Lincoln’s death. By the time of completion of the memorial there were 48 states, so they are reflected on the stone festoons above the columns. The mural painted inside the chamber represents what Abraham considered his governing principles: freedom, liberty, immortality, justice, law, unity, fraternity, and charity. There are also cypress tress in the background to show eternity. Some people claim the sculptor hid even more symbolism in the statue by the way Lincoln’s hands

Best. Trip. EVER.

Here is the famous statue of the President who saved the Union.

Do you know which states are on the top level and which are on the lower level and why?

There are 58 steps from the chamber to the plaza and 87 steps to the reflecting pool.

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are positioned. While living, Lincoln signed a federal law to allow Gallaudet University, a school for the deaf, to award college degrees. The sculptor had a daughter who was deaf, so the legend says he positioned Lincoln’s hands as his sign language initials A and L. But according to the US National Park Service, one of Lincoln’s hands is closed in a fist to represent strength and power. The other hand is relaxed to show compassion and peace. Even without knowing the symbolism intended, looking into the face of this great man carved in Georgia white marble is inspiring. Then I walked over to the other side of the chamber to read the immortal words of the Second Inaugural Address and the famous Gettysburg Address. “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” It is no wonder that this location was chosen by Martin Luther King Jr. as the perfect location for his most famous 24 |

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speech—“I Have a Dream.” He wanted men judged by the content of their character instead of the color of their skin. Another famous American, Marian Anderson, wasn’t allowed to perform at Constitution Hall because of the color of her skin. So her concert was moved to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. There she sang in front of an audience of 75,000 people. Although the Lincoln Memorial has now become a symbol for equality, on May 30, 1922, the day it was dedicated by President Warren G. Harding, the crowd was segregated. Besides being a symbol for equality, to the 6 million people who visit the Lincoln Memorial annually it stands for the unity of our nation. Above Abe’s head are the words, “In this temple as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” And now there is a group from Lubbock, Texas, for whom the memory of visiting this great memorial is enshrined forever.

Best. Trip. EVER.

Lincoln Memorial

This is the view of the reflecting pool and the National Mall from the Lincoln Memorial.

All these years later and the Gettysburg Address is still inspiring.

This is the gang in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

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Korean W ar Memorial

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â€œOur nation honors her sons and daughters who answered a call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.â€?

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-Unknown

he wall of the faces without names is what it is called, much like the Vietnam Memorial which is the wall of the names without faces. It is fitting that their design and names should be so similar seeing as how the wars were so similar. Both of the wars were fought in a foreign country, and both suffered much controversy as to whether we should even be fighting in them at all. The Korean War started June 25, 1950. The dispute was centered on the fact that the 38th parallel was the dividing line between North and South Korea. The Korean War was over on July 27, 1953. Despite the fact that it was so short, 36,574 Americans were killed in battle. Around 103,284 people were injured in the Korean War. On top of that, approximately 8,200 are still listed as MIA, lost, or buried at sea. After taking about nine years to conceive and build the memorial, it was dedicated on July 27, 1995.

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The Korean War Memorial was made to commemorate the 5.8 million Americans who fought in the war. It was made with three parts: The Mural Wall, the Pool of Remembrance, and the 19 statues. The Mural Wall was designed by Louis Nelson from New York. The wall was made by Cold Spring Granite Company, Cold Spring, Minnesota. The 19 Statues were designed by Frank Gaylord and cast by Tallix Foundries of Beacon, New York. The Mural Wall is 164 feet long and eight inches thick. It has 41 panels extending 164 feet in total. There are over 2,400 photographs all taken from the National Archives depicting soldiers in the war, the place where the war was fought, the war itself, the medical stations, and much more. The pictures were sandblasted onto the marble surface so when you go along the wall, you can actually run your hand along the surface and feel the images. The 19 Statues are very symbolic. Each statue is around 7-feet

Best. Trip. EVER.

You can see the crowds to the right.

The water is still at the top but flowing down the stairs.

Many faiths were represented in this memorial.

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These images are beautiful yet haunting.

Here are some of the items people left in honor of those who served.

tall and roughly 1,000-pounds each. The reason that there are 19 is because when they reflect off of the wall, there appear to be 38, symbolizing the 38th parallel, the very reason for this war. It also symbolizes the 38 months of battle. It includes sculptures of soldiers from each branch of the armed forces. It has 14 Army, three Marines, one Navy, and one Air Force member. These numbers are representative of the amount that each branch sent in comparison to one

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another. As you can see, the Army had many more troops than the Navy or the Air Force. Each troop is wearing a poncho that is covering their weapon and equipment. Most, if not all, of the people involved in this war did have to wear a poncho or some kind of rain coat to protect themselves from the elements. When we were on this trip, we talked about the meaning of still water even before we got to the Korean Memorial. We talked about how still water means death

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ONE What expression do you see on his face?

This soldier looks so young.

and, sadly enough, it was in most of the memorials that we went to go see. However, there is usually a twist. With the Pool of Remembrance, the water is still on this, sort of, platform. The water then cascades beautifully down a

couple of steps symbolizing that although these people perished in this war, they will live on in this memorial and in our memories and hearts as we commemorate them with this beautiful memorial.

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V iet nam Memorial

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“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”

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t is true, the “cost of freedom is always high.” This statement is shown in all of the battles and wars that America and any other nation has been in. The decision to partake in the Vietnam War was a widely debated issue, and whether you supported the war effort or not, it happened and the cost was high. The official name is The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, but it is commonly called the Vietnam Memorial. It is also called the VVM or “The Wall.” The statue of the three figures is called “The Three Servicemen” or “The Three Fighting Men” or “The Three Infantry Men.” The memorial was mainly founded by Jan Scruggs, a veteran who served from 19691970 as an infantry corporal. Scruggs wanted the memorial to be dedicated to all servicemen that served in the Vietnam War. It contains the names of those who passed in the war or are still missing. The statue of the Three Servicemen was made specifically to acknowledge and recognize the sacrifice that the servicemen made for us.

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The main organization that provided funds for the memorial was the VVMF, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. The VVMF was founded on April 24, 1979, by fellow veterans, John Wheeler and Robert Doubek. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Inc. raised over $9,000,000 for the memorial. Altogether, it took three-and-a-half years to build the memorial and the Three Servicemen. The project finally received Federal approval on March 11, 1982. Work on the memorial began shortly after, on March 16, 1982. Also not long after that, on March 26, 1982, was the groundbreaking. The memorial was completed in late October of 1982, but was dedicated on November 13, 1982. Like many other memorials, there was a competition to decide on who was to be the main designer of the memorial. The winner was Maya Ying Lin who was an undergraduate at Yale University at the time. Her winning idea was the idea to have the Wall made with a reflective surface that

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-John F. Kennedy

These are just a few of the names on The Vietnam Wall.

These are the Three Statues.

Many people leave flowers or other keepsakes near their lost loved oneâ€™s name.

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Here is our group looking at the Wall.

Here is our group posing at the Vietnam Womenâ€™s Memorial.

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Here is a book someone left near their friend’s name.

would reflect the trees and foliage around it. Because it reflects all that is around it, it also reflects the people looking into it. The Wall also directs to the Washington Monument in the east and the Lincoln Memorial in the west. She wanted it to be very discreet, and she did a wonderful job of choosing where to put it. Until you get up very close to it, it is very hard to tell that it is there. Her name is included in the monument along with the names of the people involved in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. A funny story about Maya Ying Lin is that when they added the Three Servicemen, she got angry and said that it messed up her design. She was so

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angry that she left the group and didn’t see the project through to completion; however, they still decided to put her name on the Wall. She later said that she wished she had stuck with it and regretted leaving the project. She also said that the Three Servicemen statue didn’t wreck her design. The main designer of the Three Servicemen was Frederic Hart. Much like the way they chose Maya Ying Lin, they did a competition to decide on who was to design it. He was the highest ranking sculptor in the competition. He received $330,000 for his contribution because he designed as well as sculpted the sculpture. With the addition

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Here is another aspect of the Vietnam Memorial that was added later, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, sculpted by Lubbock’s own Glenna Goodacre (and mother to famous model Jill Goodacre). This is a tribute to all of the women who served in the war.

of six names that were added in 2010, the total is up to 58,272 total names. Approximately 1,200 of these names are listed as missing. Ten groups of names have been added since dedication. In 1983, 68 names were added; 1984, 15 names were added; 1986, 110 names were added; 2001, six names were added; 2002, three names

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Here you can see the diamonds and crosses/plusses next to the names.

V iet nam Memorial

were added; 2003, six names were added; 2004, ten names were added; 2006, four names were added; and in 2010, three names were added, bringing the total names added since dedication to 229 names. These names are arranged in chronological order by the date of death or

injury. Though the wall is all connected, technically it is separated into the east wall and the west wall. The east wall points towards the Washington Monument while the west wall points towards the Lincoln Memorial. Also, on the west wall, the symbols

precede the names, while on the east wall, the symbol follow the names. There is a symbol next to each name, and like any other memorial, it means something. If the name has a diamond next to it, it means that the person is confirmed to be dead. The plusses or crosses

next to the names mean that the person remains unaccounted for or is missing. If they find the body of a person, a plus can be turned into a diamond, and if a missing person is found, a circle will be made of the plus. As of this time, no circles have been added in place of a plus sign.

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Whether a person has a plus or a diamond or a circle or survived the war, we all would like to acknowledge that each of the people who were in this war gave up a great sacrifice and will be remembered forever in the wall of names without faces.

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Mart in Lut her King, Jr. Memorial

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Here is a look at the Mountain of Despair.

artin Luther King Jr. was a man who understood times of “challenge and controversy” because he lived in one of the most difficult time for people of his race. The Roma Design Group designed the memorial to honor a very important man in history, Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel Peace Prize Winner, American Baptist minister, and social rights activist who led the civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. The Roma Design Group drew inspiration from one Clayborne Carson and won the honor to design it in a competition involving over 900 other designs. The design is very symbolic. The entrance of the memorial is framed by two pillars of pink granite which are called “The Mountain of Despair.” Coming through “The Mountain of Despair,” you can see “The Stone of Hope” which is on an open plaza on the Tidal Basin. Connected to and carved out of the front of “The Stone of Hope” is a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. This gives the effect that King is using “The Stone of Hope” to push through “The Mountain of Despair.” The idea of “The Mountain

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of Despair” and “The Stone of Hope,” came from a quote of King’s. “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope,” is the inspirational quote which is inscribed on “The Stone of Hope.” This quote was also from the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The words, “I was a drum major for justice, peace, and righteousness” were originally inscribed on the other side of the stone; however, this was criticized by many as selfaggrandizing. So, it was later revised to read, “If you want to say I was a drum major, say I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness.” At the foot of the stone, there is a 30-foot statue of Martin Luther King Jr. by Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin. There is also a 450-foot wall going around the entire plaza that has 14 quotes from King on the subjects of justice, democracy, love, and hope. One of these quotes was the opening quote to this article. The entire cost of the memorial was $120 million, which was raised entirely by donations. The memorial was opened to the public in August of 2011. The atmosphere in the memorial was amazing. When we walked in, everyone kind of

Best. Trip. EVER.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

The quote “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” Notice the ridges in the rock. These are stress marks and symbolize that it wasn’t easy to push through the Mountain of Despair.

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Here is the Stone of Hope.

I love the simplicity of the wall.

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ONE This picture shows the lower half of the statue where he is pictured still in the rock, as though the statue is not finished. It symbolizes that the race for justice is never really finished.

Do we have the audacity to believe with King?

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I love the look of determination on his face.

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just got quiet. It wasnâ€™t like the other memorials where people got quiet. You could tell it wasnâ€™t because we were sad like when we were at Arlington National Cemetery, it was more like everyone was just pausing to remember the time when racism was a very real and serious thing. It was like we were acknowledging all of the things that Martin Luther King Jr. sacrificed so that his people could have freedom.

That was the response that was desired of us when we went to that memorial. We were meant to feel that way. It made us think and made us more aware of ourselves. Things like this memorial can prevent something as terrible as racism from ever happening again. I hope and bet that this memorial will do its job and keep us in check as well as commemorate a great American hero.

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Unit ed St at es Capit ol

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n March 4, 1789, the newly ratified Constitution went into effect, and our United States Congress began as the legislative branch of the government. The two houses of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives would need a place to meet. A design by William Thornton was chosen, and construction began. One cornerstone of our democracy is spirited debate between people of opposing viewpoints, and nowhere is that better reflected than in the discussions and debates of our Congress. Differences of opinion began as early as in the design phase of the building they would meet in. Stephen Hallet made changes to the design of Thornton and went so far as to go against the wishes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and change the plans behind their backs. He was swiftly replaced as supervisor of the project. George Washington laid the cornerstone for the Capitol Building in 1793. In 1800 the north wing was completed, and the Senate moved in. Since the south wing wasn’t finished until 1811, the House of Representatives had to share space with the Senate. The Supreme Court also shared space in the Capitol Building. The arrangement was meant to be temporary (only 3 years), but like a child who won’t move out of the house, they ended up staying in the Capitol building much longer

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than expected. It was 135 years before they moved into their own building. Our tour of the United States Capitol was one of the most interesting tours we had. It almost felt like a slumber party as our tour guide told us gossip about the Capitol and the people who worked in it. One such story was about the bust of Abraham Lincoln. The guide asked us what was missing on the statue. Some in our group noted the cleanshaven face and guessed his beard. Others thought he meant the stovetop pipe hat we see so often in images of Lincoln. But it was a much more basic omission than either of those. Lincoln has no left ear! Officially, the story is that the sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, of Mt. Rushmore fame, wanted to show the duality of Lincoln’s character and decided not to carve that ear. However, our tour guide told us it was because the sculptor miscalculated the dimensions of the marble he was working with and didn’t have enough left to complete the statue. I think this is how rumors get started! Another method for spreading rumors is built into the design of the Capitol. What is now called Statuary Hall was once the room where the House of Representatives met. There is a certain location in the hall where you can hear conversations from all the way across the room. Our tour guide went across the room to test it out, and we could hear him

Best. Trip. EVER.

Here is a side view of the US Capitol.

I wish I would have gotten a picture of his missing ear.

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Murals on the walls depict important scenes from Americaâ€™s history.

Much of this was blocked, but you can still see Washington surrounded by the maidens.

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Our tour guide was full of interesting information.

as clearly as if he were standing right next to us. During the War of 1812, the British burned the Capitol. We took the opportunity to change the look of the building somewhat, and during reconstruction the dome and rotunda were added. Inside the rotunda on the ceiling are beautiful paintings depicting Washington rising to the heavens with Liberty and Victory on each side of him along with 13 maidens representing the 13 original colonies. Most of our view of the rotunda was obstructed by the restoration, but they expect the construction to Lubbock-Cooper Middle School DC/NYC Trip |

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TWO be completed before the inauguration that will take place in January. Fiftythree inauguration ceremonies have taken place at the Capitol, and this next one is scheduled to as well. Security at the Capitol is very tight in order to prevent more tragedies there. In 1954 five representatives were shot on the floor of the House of Representatives. They were killed by Puerto Ricans who wanted freedom. Another shooting took place in 1998 when two police officers were killed keeping the gunmen from harming representatives. One other skirmish inside the Capitol happened not between outsiders with a score to settle against Congress but between Congressmen themselves. One of the lively debates on the House floor erupted into violence over the expansion of slavery. The brawl ended in laughter when one representative had his wig pulled off by an opponent and exclaimed that he had been scalped. Other uses of the Capitol have been far less contentious. It is hard to believe in this day of strict separation between church and state, but for many years the building was used for 48 |

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Beautiful roof with special acoustic power.

Here is the unusual cap Freedom wears.

Best. Trip. EVER.

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Even under construction the US Capitol is beautiful.

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Sunday church services. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison both attended this church. They would rotate services among preachers from various Protestant denominations. In 1826 Catholic priests were added to the rotation, and Dorothy Ripley was the first female minister to use the Capitol to hold services. As the country grew, so did the Capitol building. The number of Senators is fixed at two per state, so they started with 26. The number of Representatives in the House is determined by population, so they convened with 65. Now there are 100 Senators and 435 representatives, so they needed more space to meet. Through the years more and more rooms were added until its current 540 rooms with 658 windows. We also got to see a replica of Freedom. She is 19 feet 6 inches tall and stands on top of the dome. It is an unspoken rule in Washington that no statue should be taller than Freedom. As you can see from the picture, she has an unusual headpiece. Originally the design called for a pileus or liberty cap that was traditionally given to freed slaves in ancient Rome. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis objected to that symbol of freedom, so it was changed for a helmet with an eagleâ€™s head and feathers. I find it ironic that one of the major craftsmen involved in creating a statue named Freedom was himself not free. Philip Reid was a slave who worked 6 days a week on the statue, and his master received payment for his labor. On Sunday, though, he could receive his own wage for the work he did. So Mr. Reid worked every day for almost a year on Freedom. By the time she was fully assembled on the Capitol on December 2, 1863, Philip Reid had been granted his freedom. So maybe it is poetic rather than ironic that a slave turned free man helped to create the statue called Freedom.

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Library of Congress

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“Y

ou can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me,” said C.S. Lewis, awardwinning author of the series The Chronicles of Narnia. I totally agree with this quote because I love to read. That is why seeing the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. was so inspiring for me. I have tried to write and ultimately finish a book since I was a kid watching Reading Rainbow. However, I can never really find the motivation to do it. I have started plenty of books in my lifetime. I always think I’ve found a good idea, and I settle down to write that book out. I won’t even finish the first chapter when I come up with a “better” idea. Then, I will start to write on that one until I get a “better” idea. The cycle continues on and on. When I saw the Library of Congress, it inspired me to finish one, and I am currently working on a book that I hope to finish. Thomas Jefferson was the primary drive to build the Library of Congress. He believed that a democratic legislature needed to have plenty of information on hand. He was always very fascinated with the Library of Congress and played a large role later on in the development. The Library of Congress was founded in 1800, making it the oldest cultural institution. It was officially established by Congress on April 24, 1800.

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It received an appropriation of five thousand dollars. In 1802, it was decreed that the Librarian of Congress was a presidential responsibility. Both the president and vice president were and are still allowed to borrow books. Book borrowing privileges were then extended to the judiciary, officials of government agencies, and sometimes even members of the public. On August 24, 1814, the British invaded Washington D.C. and burned down the Capitol building, where The Library of Congress was housed until 1897. Around 3,000 books were burned. This is when Thomas Jefferson offered to sell his personal collection of books, and this was approved by Congress on January 30, 1815. Congress bought 6,487 books for $23,950, doubling the original amount of books before the fire. The Library of Congress is home to almost all books, magazines, sheet music, recordings, and other forms of entertainment. There are more than 162 million items in the Library of Congress. These items include 38 million books and other print materials, 3.6 million recordings, 14 million photographs, 5.5 million maps, 7.1 million pieces of sheet music, and 70 million manuscripts. These are held on approximately 838 miles of bookshelves, which is further than from Lubbock, Texas, to Las Vegas, Nevada. This is also the equivalent of 14,749

Best. Trip. EVER.

The Thomas Jefferson Building is beautiful and serves as the home for the Library of Congress.

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Here you can see the nine great writers chosen to be memorialized on the building: Demosthenes, Emerson, Irving, Goethe, Franklin, Macaulay, Hawthorne, Scott, and Dante.

Here is a picture of the Neptune Fountain.

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football fields! Because so many books are being written, about 15,000 books are received each working day. Roughly 12,000 books are added to the collection each day. The Library of Congress has some world records within its walls too. The smallest book there is Old King Cole which is 1/25”x1/25” or about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. The largest

book in the Library of Congress is a picture book that is 5’x7’. One important person related to the Library of Congress was Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress from 1899-1939. He introduced the sale and distribution of printed catalog cards, union catalogs, the interlibrary loan, and many other innovations, many of which are still around today.

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Library of Congress

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TWO When our group visited The Library of Congress, we just paused for a picture stop because of the fact that only individuals over high school age are allowed to go in. Now, it wouldâ€™ve been great to see the inside of The Library of Congress, however, it was still very moving to see the outside of the building. Besides, it gives us a reason to come back when we are older. A lot of these places that we went are amazing once, but, unlike other attractions, if you go twice, it would still be just as amazing and inspiring as the first time. The Library of Congress is still grounded on Thomas Jeffersonâ€™s belief that information and knowledge are vital to every person, whether they are the President of the United States or just some normal person from the streets.

This was the saddest view of the Library of Congress: walking away.

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he Supreme Court is working all year long to prevent injustice for the good of the country. Though this branch of government usually goes unnoticed compared to the President of the United States, perhaps because it is easier to recognize one President rather than many Supreme Court justices; however, the Supreme Court is still a vital part of the U.S. government. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in the United States where many highprofile cases are dealt with. The Supreme Court is comprised of a chief justice and eight other associate justices. Each justice is nominated by the President himself and confirmed by majority vote by the Senate. Once a justice is confirmed, they can serve for life, unlike the President. Serving for life means that they are a justice until death, resignation, retirement, or conviction on impeachment. While there have been some exceptions, most of the cases that a Supreme Court justice will deal with involves some issue of Constitutional law. Every year, around 7,000-8,000 cases are proposed; however, a Supreme Court justice will only hear about 80 cases annually. This makes for a fairly full work load even though all of these cases arenâ€™t heard. In a case in the Supreme Court, there is a very specific

order in which things are to be done. In the first step of a Supreme Court case, each lawyer must submit a written argument. In the next step, the Supreme Court practices something most businesses never do, let alone one with this much power, but each justice will usually appoint a clerk (who is a young person just out of law school) to read the argument and prepare a memo outlining the issues that the case involves. Each lawyer then receives a date for their oral argument. Each justice will review the written arguments shortly before the oral arguments. The oral arguments in the Supreme Court are prepared for very heavily and with great attention to detail. Each lawyer will then have thirty minutes to present his or her argument. This time includes questions from the justices. Each justice can ask as many questions as need be. After the lawyers have given their final arguments, it is up to the justices to decide. The justices are then left to argue among themselves. Each Supreme Court case follows basically these same guidelines. Now, the seating arrangement in the courthouse is very important as well. This helps each person in the courtroom identify which justice is which. The chief justice sits in the very center. On the right of the chief justice sits the second highest justice. On the

On the right you can see the male figure, the Guardian or Authority of Law.

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â€œThere may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.â€? -Elie Wiesel

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Decisions made by the Supreme Court impact our entire country. Here is a group of people praying for the Supreme Court to make wise decisions.

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TWO left of the chief justice sits the third highest-ranking justice. To the right of the second highest justice sits the fourth highest-ranking member. To the left of the third highest justice sits the fifth highest justice and so on. Even though this may seem insignificant, it is very important because each

person in the courtroom needs to know which justice is which. The final step in making a decision about the case for the justices is that they will then review the case with their clerks and chart out an initial opinion or impression of their votes. On a day soon thereafter,

This female sculpture is called Contemplation of Justice.

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Sixteen marble columns line the front of the Supreme Court Building.

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they will cast their final votes. Whatever the winning opinion is, the justices will assign a clerk to write the popular opinion. The justice will then write an opinion based on the clerkâ€™s draft.

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Said opinion will then be reviewed and revised by all other justices until it is approved by each justice on that side of the decision. When the justices come to an agreement, the opinion will then be revealed to the

people involved in the case. Though this may seem like a long and difficult process, it is necessary to ensure that our country is governed in a fair and orderly fashion. All of these steps and

individual cases are Americaâ€™s way of proclaiming our freedom by showing that we have rules, but we still have many privileges, such as freedom of speech and free press that will not be taken away.

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his summer, my tour group and I visited Ford’s Theater. To some people, the name Ford’s Theatre may ring a bell. It was the setting of the tragic assassination of America’s most honest president, Abraham Lincoln. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was shot in the back of the head and horribly wounded by John Wilkes Booth while attending the Ford’s Theater for the twelfth time to see a performance of Our American Cousin, a three-act play. Halfway through Act 3, scene 2, a character named Asa Trenched uttered what was considered one of the play’s funniest lines. Catching everyone off guard, Booth took the chance to shoot the beloved president in hopes that the crowd’s laughter would mask the sound of the gunshot. Booth escaped by leaping from Lincoln’s box to the stage and taking a horse he had left waiting in the alley. The injured president was transported to the Peterson House soon after. The Peterson House was located across the street from Ford’s Theater. The remaining section of the play was suspended. Sadly, Abraham Lincoln died the next morning and Ford’s Theater stayed closed for more than 100 years. After Lincoln’s death, the theater was transformed into a warehouse and office building.

In 1893, a section of the building collapsed and killed 22 civilians. It reopened as a theater after it was renovated in 1968. Later on, during the 2000s, it was once again renovated and reopened on February 12, 2009. The new renovation commemorated the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth. Abraham Lincoln’s death may have brought attention to Ford’s Theater, yet, I’m glad to inform, it has recently been recognized for its inspirational theatre performances, education programs, and live historical interpretations. The opportunity to go to Washington and New York was absolutely amazing, but as predicted, it was hard for us Texan folks to adapt to the fast-paced life of a New Yorker/ Washington citizen. Ford’s Theater was easygoing compared to some of the main attractions of Washington. While at Ford’s Theater, I felt as if I were in calmer waters. Not only that, but once I heard the word “theater,” my head snapped up and I was hooked! As many of my close friends know, I absolutely love theater. I was naturally very excited to go. While at Ford’s Theater, I had to walk down a dim lit hallway that had pictures on each side of the wall. It was the entrance to the original theater. The pictures had spotlights on them, so I easily spotted them

Here is a look at the seats on the ground floor.

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These images show that John Wilkes Booth wasnâ€™t the only one who wanted Lincoln dead. These people conspired with him.

I love this image of Lincoln reading the Bible with his son Tad.

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This is a view of the stage from the back of the theatre on the ground level.

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“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” -Abraham Lincoln

This is the Presidential Box.

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These statues represent all the people who wanted Lincoln to give them an office in his government.

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Here are two pictures of Lincoln. The black and white one is haunting.

as I walked down the short hallway. The pictures were basically little fractions of information about Lincoln growing up. They even included little drawings of young and old Lincoln as well as Lincoln’s family. As I stood reading the pictures on the wall, it saddened me knowing that he had been assassinated here; that he may have stepped where I’d stepped. The gloomy aura surrounding the hallway had definitely affected me. Though it did sadden me, it also intrigued me to learn more. The original theater was lovely. The brown sugar colored seats and velvet carpet are still fresh in my mind. I remember trying to get a good look into both boxes on each sides of the stage because I thought it was where Abraham

was assassinated. It never specified which box he was assassinated in, if even those boxes still exist since it had been renovated so many times after his death. Suddenly, we were back on the bus. Time definitely had passed faster while I was in Ford’s Theater. I gazed out the bus window at the quaint brick building. I studied the white trim around the windows and the red tint of the bricks. In the back of my mind I knew I wouldn’t remember the exterior, but it’d be hard to forget how I’d felt in that short period of time that I’d visited Ford’s Theater. Each one of us were eager for our next adventure. The bus driver turned down an upcoming street and Ford’s Theater disappeared behind another brick building.

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Here is the view of Mount Vernon from the front.

Mount V ernon

ust south of the bustle and intrigue of Washington, D.C. lies an estate that prompted our first president, George Washington, to say “I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” With all the turmoil he had to face in his life, it is no wonder that the serenity of Mt. Vernon was what he sought. It is difficult to imagine calling the sprawling estate that contained 8,000 acres during Washington’s time a farm, but that is precisely what it was. The Washington family acquired land on the Potomac River in 1674. George’s father Augustine built a house on the land in 1735. It was one and a half stories tall and consisted of two rooms on the ground floor. The original name was Little Hunting Creek Plantation. The name was changed by the second owner of the property, George Washington’s older halfbrother, Lawrence Washington. Lawrence had served in the British Royal Navy under Vice Admiral Edward Vernon. He named the property he inherited after this commander he admired. The name has stayed to this day, although the house has changed. With the death of Lawrence and his family, George came to be sole owner of the house. Because of the needs of the

growing plantation, Washington began adding on to the house until it had just over 11,000 square feet of living space. The house was much larger than others in the area, but Washington wasn’t trying to put on airs. In fact, he was given a chimneypiece but debated using it because he said it was too elegant for his home. We were able to tour the beautiful home where our first president and his wife lived, but we were far from the first ones. Each year about 1 million people come through the house. Eighty-five million have visited it since it was open as a tourist spot. Even when the Washingtons owned the property, hundreds of visitors came to this very special place each year. George Washington thought the people had a right to see his home. The only place that was off limits to visitors was his study. Although we got a tour of the restored home, we weren’t allowed to take pictures. We were, however, allowed to take pictures around the beautiful grounds. I mentioned that the plantation was a farm. George Washington was very interested in the science of agriculture. He planted different types of crops and experimented and took careful notes about various methods and resulting crop yields.

It is hard to believe this is only 15 miles from Washington D.C.

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This stained glass window shows the reading of the Declaration of Independence to Washington.

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On the left you can see the line to enter the tour of the house. They were very strict about everything here!

Here is a beautiful view of the Potomac.

“Within the Enclosure Rest the Remains of Gen. George Washinton.”

The Washington home was surrounded by beautiful gardens where they grew food as well as gardens full of various plants and flowers for pleasure. It was distressing to visit the slave quarters and be reminded of the fact that the father of our nation owned slaves. He did make provisions for the continued care of slaves who were too old or sick to work. And he did stipulate in his will that his slaves were to be freed after the death of Martha. Yet the fact remained that he lived in a time when people thought owning other human beings was somehow justified. I guess it is a good reminder that even the princes among us still have warts. At his death, the country’s leaders wanted him to be buried in the Capitol. Martha agreed to it, but his will was clear. He was to be interred at Mount Vernon, the place he loved best in the world. When I saw the tomb where he and Martha are buried, I was struck by the fact that it doesn’t say President George Washington. It says General George Washington. I asked the security guard about it. He explained that many people of the time wanted to make George Washington king of America. He was adamant that America would not make the same mistakes as England had, though. He wanted to make sure people understood that his power was given to him by the people and should rightfully be passed on to the next person elected to that position. He limited his rule to two terms of office and then never allowed people to refer to him as President

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It is difficult to imagine that this tree was standing before our country was born.

In the background you can see the storm that was rolling up as we toured the gardens.

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Mount V ernon

We had to have at least one dab picture in here.

Washington again. Now we refer to anyone who has been president by the title of President, but Washington wanted the distinction to be clear. After Washington’s death, the plantation became too expensive for his descendants to keep up. They sold the majority of the plantation and let the house fall into disrepair. But in 1853 The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association bought what was left of the estate. They began the repair and restoration of 500

acres. Now it is a tourist destination that is open 365 days a year. One fact about the mansion surprised me. It is made of wood. It doesn’t look like wood, though. It looks like stone. That is due to a process called rustication. The wood is painted and then sand is thrown on the wet paint. The result is a mansion that looks more expensive than it was. Very clever of our frugal founding father. For some reason I never imagined Mount Vernon would be so close to the water. Plantations in my mind are in the middle of fields, but Mount Vernon sits just a hillside from the Potomac. At the back of the house is a large porch where the Washingtons and their visitors would have had a gorgeous view of the water. Mount Vernon was a fascinating and picturesque stop on our tour of Washington D.C.

Here is our group in front of the back of Mount Vernon.

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“They saw liberty and thought they saw weakness and now they will see defeat.”

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-George Bush

he events of 9/11 were certainly tragic and caused the nation to reevaluate its security procedures, making a turn that can seem annoying at times when you are standing in line at the airports waiting to be searched, but it is better for the country. The September 11th Pentagon Memorial that was opened on September 11, 2008, which was seven years after the attack, is dedicated to the 184 people who died in the building and on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon during the attacks. The memorial was designed by Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman from the architectural firm, Kaseman Beckam Advanced Strategies and the engineers Buro Happold. The anniversary of these events is commemorated each year by hanging an American flag on the spot where the Pentagon was hit by Flight 77. During this night, the building is illuminated in blue lights. Every other night of the year, just the pools are illuminated. There are also memorial services held on 9/11 every year at the Pentagon with two services. One service is for the Pentagon employees, while a smaller service is at the memorial site for family and friends of victims.

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The memorial was opened to the public and dedicated on September 11, 2008. President at the time, George W. Bush, was quoted as saying that the memorial was “an everlasting tribute to the 184 souls who perished.” More than 20,000 people attended. The memorial was opened to the public at 7 p.m. that evening in a separate ceremony complete with a performance by the Navy Band and the Sea Chanters Chorus. SFC Peter George Lentz was the man chosen to unveil the first bench. As is the case with almost every other memorial we visited, there was a design competition held with the winner getting to be the primary designer. The design is very simple at first look, but is more complex when you get to know some of the symbolism. That is why I am glad that we had a tour guide because if I just went alone, I would not understand it and it would not be quite as moving. So if you are ever visiting New York or Washington D.C., I would recommend having a tour guide. Anyway, there are 184 benches to honor all of the victims. Each bench is engraved with the name of one of the victims. Underneath the benches, there is a shallow, lighted pool that has the name of

Best. Trip. EVER.

The birth year of every victim has been placed on the wall.

The entrance to the September 11 Pentagon Memorial.

There is a bench for each victim of the tragedy.

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The name on the bench was the victim, and the names on the ground were family members traveling along who were killed as well.

People leave tokens on the benches.

N at ional 9/11 Pent agon Memorial

any family members that were with the victim and perished as well engraved upon it. There are also approximately 85 paperback maple trees planted on the site. The design also tells the ages of the people who died. It starts with Dana Falkenberg, age three, the youngest person there and goes up through John Yamnicky Sr., age 71, the

oldest victim. There are rails of metal in the ground that run as wide as the benches that run until they meet the memorial wall. If you follow the lines all the way to the wall, you will see that personâ€™s birth year engraved on the top of the wall. If more than one victim was born in that year (which most of the years had more than one We will forever remember them as well.

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It was an honor to celebrate a sunset at the memorial.

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The list of victims.

N at ional 9/11 Pent agon Memorial Lubbock-Cooper Middle School DC/NYC Trip |

person born in it) all of the victimâ€™s benches would be in that same line of rails. The wall even gradually ascends starting at a height of 3 inches and rising to 71 inches, the ages of Dana and John. Another thing that you can tell from the design of the memorial is if the victims were on the plane or in the Pentagon. The victims that were in the Pentagon will have their name facing away from the Pentagon while the victimsâ€™ benches that were on the plane will be facing towards the Pentagon. Another piece of symbolism incorporated into the design has to do with the pools. On this trip, we learned about how still water means death. At first glance, it seems that the pools are still. But when you take a closer look, you realize that there is some sort of machine in the water that keeps it relatively still, but not quite. However, everyday at exactly 9:27, the pools stop moving. This was when the plane struck the Pentagon. This symbolizes that though these victims may be dead, they will live on through this memorial. It also encourages you to think of this great tragedy which should and will be remembered forever.

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

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“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

eorge Washington inadvertently set a precedent when he refused to run for more than two terms, but there was nothing codified in the law that limited presidential terms until the 22nd Amendment was ratified in 1951. This amendment was in reaction to the four terms Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to. Other presidents had sought to be elected to more than two terms, but FDR was the first to be successfully elected more than twice. He led our nation from 1933 to 1945 including the tumultuous years of the Great Depression and World War II. He didn’t serve the 16 years for which he was chosen, though. He died just a little over one month after inauguration day of his fourth term. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial was created to honor this 32nd President who led our country for so long. When his friend asked what he would like as a memorial, he

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said he wanted a block roughly the size of a desk. Instead, he was given a memorial that took 40 years to plan and covered 7.5 acres of land. Design of the FDR memorial is unique in that it consists of four open-air rooms. Each room commemorates one of his terms. Room 1: The first thing we saw in the first room was a bronze statue of Roosevelt. I was surprised that it showed him in a wheelchair. He contracted polio 10 years before his first term, and he lost the use of his legs. He was very careful to not show his disability to the public, though. The media would take pictures of him leaning on a podium or sitting in a chair, but if they showed his wheelchair it would be covered up. The bronze sculpture was added in 2001 at the request of the National Organization on Disability. They felt FDR was a symbol of encouragement and hope to all Americans with disabilities.

Best. Trip. EVER.

Here is the statue added by the National Organization on Disability.

Every president works to lower the unemployment rate, but none had a bigger challenge in this area than FDR.

Here is the entrance to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.

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TWO Hayden looks at one of the many waterfalls incorporated into the memorial.

Room 2: While room 1 showed Rooseveltâ€™s encouraging words during the Great Depression, room 2 depicted his New Deal. The aim of the New Deal was to reinvigorate the economy. Unemployment was at 25% in 1933. In room 2 there is a line of statues of desperate men standing in a bread line waiting for food. There is also a statue of a man leaning close to his radio listening to one of FDRâ€™s fireside chats. These informal broadcasts were the first time a president had communicated with the American people through this medium and in this manner. The people drew comfort and encouragement from hearing the president talk to them in their language and in their own homes. 84 |

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Here is the statue of the fireside chat.

Best. Trip. EVER.

Here FDR’s wife Eleanor is honored for being the first delegate from the United States to the United Nations.

Fiona looks at the reliefs of the various New Deal programs.

The six-column waterfall represented the Tennessee Valley Authority dam projects, which were part of the New Deal program to provide jobs for unemployed Americans. Room 3: In this room are large stones scattered haphazardly to represent the chaos of 86 |

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World War II along with FDR’s words “I hate war.” Also in room 3 is the original statue of Roosevelt that was created when the memorial was first built. This statue shows him seated with a cloak obscuring his wheelchair. His dog Fala is also part of the sculpture.

Best. Trip. EVER.

Room 4: In this room there is a still pool of water to represent his death so early into his term. There is also a depiction of the funeral procession. One bright note in this room is the statue of Eleanor Roosevelt along with the seal of the United Nations. She is the only

first lady to be included in a presidential memorial. As given in his State of the Union Address of 1941, the Four Freedoms are listed. Freedom of speech. Freedom of worship. Freedom from want. Freedom from fear. He wanted the country to know what we were fighting for. The sprawling

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Roosevelt said these words to Congress after the Yalta Conference.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

monument of red South Dakota granite is much more grand than what FDR envisioned as a fitting memorial. But as President Clinton said in his dedication speech on May 2, 1997, â€œit is right that we go a little beyond his stated wishes and dedicate this memorial as a tribute to Franklin Roosevelt, to Eleanor, and to the remarkable triumphs of their generation.â€? Lubbock-Cooper Middle School DC/NYC Trip |

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Jefferson Memorial

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uring our amazing trip, we stopped at one of the most historical sites, the Jefferson Memorial. This marvelous structure was dedicated in 1943 to honor one of the American Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson. The circular memorial is composed of marble steps, columns, and a shallow dome. This wonderful structure sits in West Potomac Park on the shore of the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River. The interior is just as grand as the exterior. The interior of this glorious memorial includes a 19-foot tall bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson showing him looking at the statue of Alexander Hamilton, a former rival of his. The massive statue was built when metal was rationed during World War II, so when the monument was dedicated it included the plaster cast that had been painted bronze. The actual bronze sculpture was added four years later when rationing was no longer in effect. In a frieze below the dome is a sentence Thomas wrote on September 23, 1800. The sentence reads, “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” On the panel of the southwest wall are excerpts from the most famous document

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he wrote, The Declaration of Independence. The excerpts read: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men...We...solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States...And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” On the panel of the northeast interior is an excerpt from “A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, 1777. “Almighty God hath created the mind free... All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments, or burthens... are a departure

Best. Trip. EVER.

Christopher and Charlie are waiting patiently for permission to go explore the Jefferson Memorial.

Here are some of the most precious words to Americans. This is from the Declaration of Independence.

Here is a look at the rounded structure from the side.

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It is no wonder Thomas Jefferson was such an eloquent writer. He was said to read between 16-20 hours per day. And his personal book collection replaced the Library of Congress after the fire.

from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion... No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument

to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively.â€? On the northeast wall are several quotes from multiple sources. On the southeast wall is an excerpt from a letter to

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TWO Jefferson wanted to make sure the government would not force a certain religion on its citizens.

Samuel Kercheval of July12, 1816. “I am not an advocate for frequent changes in law and constitutions. But laws and constitutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when he was a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.” Thomas Jefferson was an American Founding Father, author of the Declaration of

Independence, the second Vice President, and our third President. It’s no wonder that Congress decided to construct a memorial to honor him. Construction began December 15, 1938. The cornerstone was laid by Franklin Roosevelt on November 15, 1939. Sadly, at this point the appointed architect had passed away. His partners continued construction of the memorial. The design was later modified at the request of the Commission of Fine Arts to a more conservative design, but the commission never approved of either design or location of the memorial. The Jefferson Memorial was officially dedicated by President Roosevelt on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birthday.

Here is a look at the beautiful ionic columns.

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he men and women in service of our country are certainly remembered at Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington National Cemetery is a U.S. military cemetery. It spans a total of 624 acres which hold soldiers from many wars, starting with the Civil War, the war during which it was established. The estate had formerly belonged to Confederate general, Robert E. Lee’s wife Mary Anna Custis Lee who was a greatgranddaughter of Martha Washington. The cemetery, the Arlington House, Memorial Drive, the Hemicycle, and the Arlington Memorial Bridge form the Arlington National Cemetery Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Arlington National Cemetery had 70 sections with some of the southeast and western sections reserved for future expansion. For instance, Section 60 is the burial ground for military personnel killed in the Global War on Terror. Section 21, the Nurses Section, is an area of Arlington National Cemetery where many nurses are buried on the site of the SpanishAmerican War Nurses Memorial and the Nurses Memorial. The Chaplains Hill section includes Jewish, Protestant, and Roman Catholic military chaplains’ monuments. Section 27 is the resting place for more than 3,800 former slaves, called

“contrabands” during the Civil War. Their headstones read “civilian” or “citizen.” The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is in charge of placement of inscriptions and faith emblems that charge none to the estate of the deceased. The Department of Veterans Affairs currently offers 57 faith emblems that can be put on the markers to represent the deceased’s faith. This number used to be less, but due to legal challenges to policy, has grown. Before 2007, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) didn’t allow the pentacle as an “emblem of belief,” but the policy has changed due to an out-of-court settlement on April 23 after a series of lawsuits by the family of Patrick Stewart. Between 1947 and 2001, markers purchased through family or friends were allowed in the cemetery. The sections with these privately purchased markers filled up, though, and this isn’t allowed anymore. But you can still see these varietal sections. When we were at Arlington National Cemetery, we also got to see the Changing of the Guard and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was mesmerizing because they ask everyone to be silent out of respect. It was great because that was the quietest I had seen our group all week. It wasn’t like in school where you are supposed to be quiet but you

So many families have loved ones buried here.

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â€œOur debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.â€?

-Harry S. Truman

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The changing of the guard was a very moving ceremony. Where else can you see hundreds of middle and high school students totally silent and respectful?

I hadnâ€™t realized there are actually three unknown soldiers buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

keep talking anyway and the teachers keep shushing you, it was like everyone really did respect it. After the Changing of the Guard, we got to learn about it and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We learned about how the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is really the burial place of three unknown soldiers. One is from World War I, the other from World War II, and the last one from the Korean War. A soldier from the Vietnam War was buried there, but through DNA testing he was identified and moved to his family burial plot. Now with DNA testing and other technologies, it is unlikely that there will be any more unknown soldiers, so it was announced that there would not be an unknown from the Vietnam War or any other wars to come. We also learned about the rigorous vetting process to become one of the officers in the Changing of the Guard. This beautiful amphitheater is behind the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

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A rlingt on N at ional Cemet ery Our wonderful tour guide, Deb, tells us about Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington is a beautiful cemetery.

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It was quite a hike to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but it was well worth the walk.

Our kids are the new generation of Americans.

Here are some of the older tombstones.

This is the Arlington House, once owned by Robert E. Lee.

Both John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedyâ€™s graves are located in Arlington.

When a soldier makes the decision to commit themselves to being a Tomb Guard, they are assigned a mentor who will teach them everything they need to know. The trainer inspects, monitors, teaches, and tests the trainee. The training process consists

of 6-12 months and has five tests. Some of the things that the trainee needs to know for the tests include weapons manual, ceremonial steps, cadence, orders, and military bearing. There are also tests on uniform preparation that are in accordance with Tomb

uniform standards. There is also a knowledge test on 35 pages of information about the history of the Tomb and ANC. The trainee must recite these 35 pages verbatimâ€”including punctuation. Obviously both of these places and events are very

important, and it felt very serious while we were there. It was one of my favorite places that we went to. There was something about the silent serenity in remembrance of those who served our country that was just something to remember.

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The Smit hsonian Inst it ut ion

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am a very firm believer in the power of knowledge. I was one of those kids in elementary school who actually liked to learn and wanted to go to school. Now that I am in middle school, sleeping in sounds like a great alternative to school, but I still want to go learn about things and gain more knowledge. That is why my absolute favorite place that we went on this whole trip was the Smithsonian. We were given the choice between going to the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, or the Museum of American History. I chose to go to the Museum of Natural History with my mom and a couple of my friends. I am so glad that I chose to go to that one, but I am sure that I would have enjoyed the other ones as well. I was very disappointed that we had such little time here, but I understand that we had plenty of other places to go and see. There are 19 Smithsonian Institution museums and galleries as well as the National Zoological Park. Seventeen of these Smithsonians are located in Washington D.C. The others are located in New York City and Chantilly, Virginia. There is also another museum that is said to be opened in late 2016. It is the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Smithsonian Institution was established in 1846 “for

the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” While there are 19 Smithsonian Institutions, there are upwards of 170 Smithsonian Affiliate museums. The Smithsonian Institution’s thirty million annual visitors have free admission. Funding for these museums comes from the Institution’s endowment, private and corporate contributions, government support, membership dues, retail, concession, and licensing revenues. The Smithsonian’s founder was a British scientist named James Smithson who, dying in 1829, left most of his wealth to his nephew Henry James Hungerford. When Hungerford died without any children in 1835, the funds reverted “to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men,” which was in Smithson’s will. When American diplomat Richard Rush was dispatched by President Andrew Jackson to collect the funds, Rush returned in August 1838 with 105 sacks that, combined, were 104,960 gold sovereigns. This was about $500,000 at the time, equal to $11,111,000 in 2015. There was much debate as to how they should use the money to carry out the rather vague will. Finally, on August 10, 1846, President James Polk signed the legislation, establishing

The Natural History Museum of is just one of the Smithsonian Institutions.

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“There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die is a process of learning.”

-Jiddu Krishnamurti

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We didn’t have time to look through all the floors. There is so much to see here!

This was in the photography exhibit in the Museum of Natural History. This coffin was quite beautiful.

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the Smithsonian Institution. When we first walked in, there was a huge African bush elephant that was so cool. I could already tell that I was going to love it here. We heard about an exhibit with all

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kinds of jewels, rocks, minerals, stones, and even the Hope Diamond on display. So, we went there first. It was soon apparent that the museum was way too huge and we had too little time

Best. Trip. EVER.

to be able to read everything, but we did enjoy looking at all of the different minerals and jewels. I always subconsciously knew that there were tons of different substances out there, but until I

saw just how many were on display (and obviously that isn’t all of the substances in the entire world), I didn’t really understand the complexity and variety of our world.

Next, we went to see the real life mummies. There was an adult mummy and a child mummy. We did read a little in that room, and we got to read about the Ancient Egyptians. We also read about

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We couldnâ€™t get into the museum fast enough. Here is a side look.

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We knew we would love this place.

#1002012162 (1/2 PG HORIZON(10.17in x 4.88in)) 09/15/2

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THREE This was our favorite sculpture in the National Gallery Sculpture Garden.

The Smit hsonian Inst it ut ion

hieroglyphics and how to tell from a skull if that person is male or female. We then went and saw all of the skeletons including a T-rex and all kinds of other animals. The coolest to me was the giant turtle. They had it flipped over so you could see the shell on the

back, but you could also see all of the bones actually in the turtleâ€™s body. We were running out of time, so we went and saw the Mammals Hall. It was so cool because they had all kinds of different animals that looked like they were just going about

their daily lives, but on some level, you knew that they were stuffed. There were tons of animals there that looked just so lifelike! I later found out that there were about 274 specimens. It was just so cool to learn so much in one place. Even though we didnâ€™t

get to see everything or read most things, it was still an experience of a lifetime. I will definitely be going back and seeing that museum as well as all of the other ones. But I will be sure I have plenty of time to read everything and just learn all that I can.

2015 11:41 EST

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Empire St at e Building

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“The climb may be tough, but the view from the top will always be better.”

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-Unknown

he Empire State Building sure has a backstory of hardship, but now it stands tall and proud as a sign to all the world of American perseverance. The Empire State Building is a 102-story skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The height of the roof is 1,250 feet. With the antenna spire included, it totals 1,454 feet tall. The name of the Empire State Building comes from the nickname for New York, the Empire State. The Empire State Building was the world’s tallest building for almost 40 years from the date it was completed in early 1931. To win this title, it had to beat the Chrysler Building; however, the structure that beat it was the original World Trade Center’s North Tower that was completed in 1970. After the attacks during 9/11, the Empire State Building was again the tallest building in New York until One World Trade Center beat the record in April 2012. It is currently the fifth-tallest finished

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skyscraper in the United States and the 29th tallest in the world. Since completion, the Empire State Building has received many awards. It is dubbed as an “American cultural icon.” It was also named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was also named as a National Historic Landmark. In 2007, it was number one on the AIA’s list of America’s Favorite Architecture. It is the tallest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building in the United States after a $550 million renovation in 2010 to make it a more energy efficient and ecofriendly structure. The Empire State Building is an office building, but it is also has many observation decks. It is known as an Art Deco style of architecture. Construction on this great building started on March 17, 1930, which was 86 years ago! It was completed on April 11, 1931, which was

Best. Trip. EVER.

The view was beautiful, but the wind was extremely strong and bitingly cold. On one side of the building people had to hold on to the rails for fear of being blown off their feet.

This was the sign inside the building.

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The observation deck we were on wasn’t at the top of the building. Here is a view of the floors above us.

85 years ago. Even though it was officially finished in April, it opened on May 1, 1931. The entire building cost $40,948,900 which is $637 million in 2016 money. The Empire State Building is officially owned by Empire State Realty Trust. There are a total of 102 or 103 floors. The floor numbering technically goes to 103, but there isn’t a 13th floor, so it is not really 103 floors. The architectural firm responsible for this great landmark was Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon. It was developed by John J. Raskob. The structural engineer was Homer Gage Balcom, and

the main contractor was the company Starrett Brothers and Eken. As I said, the Empire State Building has suffered its share of hardships. One of the things that it is criticized for is suicide attempts. Over time, more than 30 people have attempted suicide with only two of the people who attempted surviving. The first suicide from the Empire State Building happened even before it was completely finished by a worker who was laid off. The fence that is currently up around the observatory was put in place in 1947 after five people tried to jump during a three-week

span. One of the two people who have survived trying to commit suicide from the Empire State Building is Elvita Adams who jumped from the 86th floor but was blown back onto a ledge on the 85th floor by a gust of wind. She left with just a broken hip. Now, the natural beauty of the Empire State building is enough to drop your jaw, but in 1964, floodlights were added all over the building. In 1976, colors were added to the spire so it could be lit according to themes. For instance, it lights up green for St. Patrick’s Day. It also lights up to honor

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THREE dead celebrities. When Frank Sinatra died, the building was colored blue to represent Sinatra’s nickname “Ol’ Blue Eyes.” The building is also colored for the nights when New York sports teams have home games. When the New York Knicks play, it is colored orange, blue, and white. When the New York Rangers play, it is red, white, and blue. In 2012, the lamps and floodlights were replaced with LED fixtures so it increased the colors from 9 to over 16 million different shades. It is now controlled with a computer. During the 2012 presidential election, it was used as a scoreboard. When Barack Obama won for reelection, the building turned blue. If the Republican Mitt Romney had won, the building would have been lit red. There was also a synchronized light show using music from Alicia Keys. The view from the Empire State Building is wonderful! Perhaps that is why so many people propose in this landmark. It is not against any rules. In fact, it is even encouraged to propose to your future spouse in the Empire State Building. It is recommended that you propose on the 86th floor observatory on Thursday-Saturday from 10pm-1am when they have a saxophonist and you can request a song. They do not, however, host wedding ceremonies there. But the Empire State Building does host a Valentine’s Day Weddings contest every year. They choose a few couples to get married on February 14th at the world’s most romantic building. As you can tell, there have been many hardships and putdowns that the Empire State Building has had to go through, but it is still standing tall today and is a firm reminder that America has so much beauty. 110 |

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Cent ral Park

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Chanda White, Westmark Realtors

t is true. While New York can be frustrating because of all of the traffic or the crowds or the crazy drivers or a million other things, there are many parts of New York that are just “huge dollops of pure beauty.” Central Park is one of these places. Designed in the 19th century by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, it was appointed to be New York City’s first scenic landmark in 1974. Central Park is America’s most visited public park, and it remains one of the most popular urban parks in the world. It is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. This beautiful place provides free entry to everyone. While there are many things and activities to do in Central Park, one of the most common things that people do is tour it. There are over 15 guided tours as well as three custom and group tour options plus plenty of self-guided tours. There is even a Central Park Touring app so that you can go

touring with just the aid of your cell phone. More tours are still being added as well. Some of the tours focus on a specific place in Central Park like the Conservatory Garden Tour, which only tours the Conservatory Garden. Other tours try to hit many recognizable or historic places in Central Park. The Iconic Places Tour takes you to see many things like this. Still other tours inform you of what it was like long ago. There is even a hiking tour! Central Park offers touring, but it also offers many other attractions that are available to everyone in Central Park. Some attractions in Central Park include, but aren’t limited to, a children’s zoo, butterfly gardens, and the John Lennon memorial, which we saw when we were there. There are also many statues, gift shops, food places, natural places, concerts, sports, multiple playgrounds, lakes, ice skating and roller blading, gardens, and even the Bethesda fountain. The Bethesda fountain is in the Iconic

Although you can see the city in places, Central Park remains a haven from the hurry of the city.

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“New York is a city of daily irritations, occasional horrors, hourly tests of will and even courage, and huge dollops of pure beauty.”

-Pete Hamill

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At the entrance to Central Park we saw The Dakota. It is an apartment building like none we could afford ($4-$30 million per apartment). John Lennon was shot just outside here and his widow still resides in the top floor.

Tour. Many people know the Bethesda fountain because it was the inspiration for the fountain that the cast of the TV show “Friends” is seen dancing in front of in the theme song. 114 |

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There is no way to fully appreciate the vastness of Central Park just by walking through like we did. It is 843 acres.

This fountain was the inspiration, but a smaller version was built in Las Vegas for filming purposes. The attractions mentioned above aren’t the only things that you can |

do in Central Park. Because Central Park is such an iconic place and because it is so beautiful, many people choose to have their wedding in Central Park. The fee is only $400, but the

Best. Trip. EVER.

time slots are limited to half an hour. While there are many limitations to having a wedding in Central Park, such as you are prohibited from throwing rose petals or rice on the happy

couple, it is still a very popular place to have your special day. The aforementioned attractions such as riding your bike and boating are very popular in Central

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Park. Central Park is the perfect place to ride a bike because of the natural beauty, so there are multiple places to rent a bike in Central Park. Or you can bring your own bike and ride it if that is better for you. Central Park is no doubt a very romantic place. The romance could be because of the many weddings held there, the various attractions, or perhaps just the presence of nature in a city of engineering and technology. Whatever the case, you can go on a romantic boating date by renting a gondola from 10:00 a.m. until dusk. Also, if you just want to relax, boats are available to rent as well. Many people value their pets as a vital part of their family. Luckily, your furry friend can accompany you in Central Park. While there are some places where dogs are strictly prohibited, there are many attractions where dog owners are encouraged to bring their four legged companions such as a dog drinking fountain, walking trails, dog friendly stores, and visitor centers for you and your dog to enjoy together in Central Park. When we went to Central Park, we didnâ€™t get to do or see many attractions. We did get to see a group of street performers and many caricature artists, It was a great relief to walk out of the city crush and into the beauty and tranquility of Central Park.

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This is the Bethesda Foundain.

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though. The group of street performers that we saw was a jazz trio including a clarinetist, a guitarist, and a percussionist. While some of these other attractions come and go or you canâ€™t tell if there is going to be a large crowd or not, you can always be sure that 118 |

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there will be an abundance of street performers and caricature artists. As you can tell, there are many, many attractions in Central Park that will keep you touring and enjoying the many aspects of Central Park for days on end.

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We stopped and listened to these talented street performers.

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ut of all of the places we visited in New York City, Fifth Avenue was the most elegant. As I looked around at all of the huge stores packed together, the breathtaking window displays, and the hustle and bustle of it all, my first thought was “WOW!” By the time we had reached Fifth Avenue from our hotel, via subway, it was already lunch time. We headed to Rockefeller Center for our lunch. Rockefeller Center was massive, with vaulted ceilings and extravagant paintings on the ceilings. After lunch we had time to shop and look at everything there was on Fifth Avenue. I went inside of Trump Towers with my mom and my friends. Once I stepped inside, I noticed that there were a lot of things with Trump’s name on them. There were also a lot of things covered in gold. Everything was squeaky clean inside of the building, compared to the mess on the streets. The building was very tall, with multiple escalators, and it had many places to get

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food and drinks. While we were there, we barely missed seeing Donald Trump. Some of the other people in our group did see him. The next place we went was Tiffany’s. There we saw where a scene from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s was shot. Inside there were a bunch of display cases with jewelry that sparkled as the light shone upon them. After we had looked all around the first floor, we went to the elevators and headed up to the 2nd floor, where there was more jewelry! After the 2nd floor, we headed up to the 4th floor and saw that there was a variety of handbags up there. We soon got a little bored looking at things we couldn’t afford, so we left Tiffany’s and headed to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. St. Patrick’s Cathedral was giant on the outside, and it looked very old. On the inside however, it was a totally different thing. I’ve never seen a church like it. The ceiling was far above us, and the lights were dimmed. A mass was in progress, meaning we had to be quiet. There was a gift shop

Best. Trip. EVER.

Even browsing on 5th Avenue made us feel fancy.

Everything sparkles on 5th Avenue.

We didnâ€™t buy much on 5th Avenue, but someone got this lovely keepsake.

We saw Trump Tower. It was a tremendous building with a big beautiful door. Mexico did not pay to have it built, though.

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and statues and the church smelled like wood and incense, reminding me of a library. After looking around the church, we headed back outside into the tangle of people shopping, looking around, or walking to get somewhere else. As I looked around at everyone around me, I realized how nicely everyone was dressed. Almost everyone I saw seemed to be in one form of a suit or another. At nearly every corner there was a person sitting on the ground with a sign, begging for money. People just walked past as though they were not there. We were told to never give money, only food, because you could never know if they were actually homeless. Right outside of Rockefeller Center was a sitting area and a circle of flags from countries around the world. Next to them was the brightly colored Lego Store in addition to the Apple Store, Gucci, Saks, and the Microsoft store. All the buildings on Fifth Avenue were very tall, blocking out most of the sky. There were a lot of places that sold tiny portions of food, and a lot of dessert places too. When Fifth Avenue was first made, mainly only the wealthy went there. They were the only ones able to afford anything, but as time went on less wealthy people migrated into it. The traffic there is awful, bumper to bumper. The chaos was littered with a multitude of both red and yellow taxis. Many people never even obeyed the traffic lights that say when you can cross the street. The day was slowly getting hotter with the combination of people pressing around me, the cars running, and the natural heat of the summer. I was glad the tall buildings cast shadows over us and that all the stores had air conditioning. By the time we got back to our meet up spot, I felt very sleepy from walking around. That is what Iâ€™ve learned about my experience on Fifth Avenue. 122 |

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The St. Regis Hotel is sure beautifulâ€”and it should be for rooms starting at $850 per night!

Best. Trip. EVER.

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Midtown Manhattan is filled with beautiful buildings.

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efore our trip, I envisioned these places I had heard about in movies like Rockefeller Center or Times Square to be stand alone locations separate from everything around. The national monuments in Washington D.C. were separate from each other. We would walk to one and then walk over to another and there were big signs to tell us what we were looking at. We knew what we were seeing. In New York City, though, the iconic landmarks are just part of the city. They seamlessly blend in with the buildings around them. Until our tour guide told us we were at Rockefeller Center, I didnâ€™t even know. Rockefeller Center in the summer is much different from how it looks in the winter. Our family loves the movie Elf, so all of my information about Rockefeller Center comes from that. I expected to see the huge Christmas tree and an ice skating rink. However, in the middle of summer, instead of ice-skating,

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people sit around at the tables and benches to enjoy a cool iced tea. Part of the reason it is so difficult to define Rockefeller Center is that it is not one building but a complex of 19 separate buildings on 22 acres. The land was developed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. beginning in 1930. While the rest of the country was suffering through the Great Depression, Rockefeller carried out the largest personally financed building project of the modern day. His project employed over 400,000 people. While the buildings have changed hands many times through the years, some of the more well-known occupants are: Nintendo, Comcast, Bank of America, Simon & Schuster, Radio City Music Hall, and NBC where The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is filmed. Besides headquarters for countless large companies, there are restaurants and shops all around the underground concourse.

Best. Trip. EVER.

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FOUR A plaque was installed in 1962 that listed John D. Rockefeller, Jr.’s timeless principles: I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty. I believe that the law was made for man and not man for the law; that government is the servant of the people and not their master. I believe in the Dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living. I believe that thrift is essential to well ordered living and that economy is a prime requisite of a sound financial structure, whether in government, business or personal affairs. I believe that truth and justice are fundamental to an enduring social order. I believe in the sacredness of a promise, that a man’s word should be as good as his bond; that character not wealth or power or position – is of supreme worth. I believe that the rendering of useful service is the common duty of mankind and that only in the purifying fire of sacrifice is the dross of selfishness consumed and the greatness of the human soul set free. I believe in an all-wise and allloving God, named by whatever name, and that the individuals highest fulfillment, greatest happiness, and widest usefulness are to be found in living in harmony with His Will. I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world; that it alone can overcome hate; that right can and will triumph over might. When our tour guide let us loose to explore Midtown Manhattan, many of us went straight to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Midtown Manhattan is full of people and business enterprise.

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FOUR I have often lamented to my husband that many of the modern churches are built to maximize space and minimize cost. I understand the necessity of putting limited financial resources to work in ministry instead of on building construction. But the result of that frugality is a landscape that is devoid of architectural beauty. Archbishop John Hughes understood that there was more to building a church building than making sure there are four walls and a roof. In his words he wanted â€œto erect a Cathedral in the City of New York that may be worthy

Here you can see that Rockefeller Plaza blends into the city.

St. Patrickâ€™s Cathedral is truly breathtaking.

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Here is a look at the historic Plaza Hotel.

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Flags from each country involved in the United Nations fly in the middle of Rockefeller Center.

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Here is a look at some of the buildings that are part of Rockefeller Center.

of our increasing numbers, intelligence, and wealth as a religious community, and at all events, worthy as a public architectural monument, of the present and prospective crowns of this metropolis of the American continent.” Hughes’ proposition came under fire because it was said to be too far outside of town. Those of us who have walked the crowded streets of Midtown Manhattan can laugh at that assessment. St. Patrick’s Cathedral stands in the midst of one of the busiest

city in the entire world. The cathedral was completed in 1878, and the beautiful spires were added in 1888. At the time, they were the tallest structures in New York City. But it is not just tall, the brick and marble structure takes up an entire city block. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is a strange amalgamation of tourist attraction and worship center. When we were there, there was a mass going on. Parishioners sat in the pews while we walked around

admiring the stained glass windows that depicted scenes from the Bible. Looking at the grandeur of the cathedral, it would be easy to assume the church was built by and for the rich. In fact, there were 103 wealthy citizens of the time who gave $1,000 each towards the building. But thousands of immigrants of very modest means also gave toward the construction. They wanted a church of which the entire community could be proud. And the reach has extended

well beyond their community. Each year over 5 million people come through the heavy cathedral doors. These tourists may come to view the exquisite beauty of a famous cathedral, but they can’t help but leave changed. While it isn’t fiscally responsible to construct every new church in the manner of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, I am so thankful Archbishop Hughes knew the world needed a place where people would be reminded of the grandeur and glory befitting our God.

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was a little disappointed when I heard the show we were going to see on Broadway was The Lion King. Don’t get me wrong—The Lion King is one of my very favorite animated movies. I just had hoped we would get to see one of the more famous Broadway shows like Phantom of the Opera or Wicked. How uninformed I was! Lion King is the third longest running Broadway show in history. It opened originally at the Orpheum Theatre in 1997. In 2006 it was moved to the Minskoff Theatre where it has entertained audiences in over 6,700 performances. Besides it’s long run, it has also been a success financially. It has grossed over $1 billion, more than any other Broadway show. Just being on Broadway was a surreal experience. Broadway is a street that runs from north to south along the length of Manhattan. The most famous part of Broadway, though, is between 42nd and

53rd streets. It is known as the Theatre District or “The Great White Way.” That nickname came when electric lights were used to light the street. While Americans aren’t impressed by electrically lighted streets anymore, it is still impressive to see just how many lights shine on the Theatre District from the marquees and billboards all along the path. The marquees and billboards have to be bright because there is fierce competition among the 40 major theatres on Broadway. They each have over 500 seats to fill per night. And the Minskoff, where we attended our show, seats 1,597 people. Performances on Broadway are Tuesday-Saturday nights with matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. But no matter what night you go, there is an air of pure excitement. Times Square was not originally the location for American theatres. The earliest theater was opened in

What a wonderful Broadway show!

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Best. Trip. EVER.

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This is inside, This but the lights was our contribute to theatre, â€œThe Great the White Wayâ€? Minskoff. nickname.

1750 in Lower Manhattan. But as businesses moved in there, the theatre companies had to move north for less expensive land. It was in the early 1900s when many theatres were built around Times Square. This congregation of theatres in one area has helped all of them establish an identity as the Theatre District. Once we arrived at One Astor Plaza, we took the escalator up to the third floor where the Minskoff Theater is located. People at the Theatre were dressed in all levels of attire from shorts and t-shirts 134 |

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Best. Trip. EVER.

The

hantom

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to fancy dress clothes. Just like in Lubbock, anything goes. Picture taking is forbidden in the theatre, but I don’t think I would have remembered to take any pictures anyway because once the orchestra played the first note, I was mesmerized. My favorite part of The Lion King has always been that first song in Zulu, and I didn’t know how the actress playing Rafiki would be able to top what is in the movie version, but she did. Her voice commanded attention and captivated emotions from the very first. Then the animals start coming up both aisles of the theatre, and I couldn’t look around fast enough. They added songs to the Broadway version that didn’t appear in the movie: “Shadowland,”

“Endless Night,” “One by One,” and our favorite, “He Lives In You.” Besides being impressed by the new songs, I was intrigued at the costuming involved in a production like this. Each animal had a different type of costume that would allow the actor to run and dance and sing but also to move like an animal. And they also had Pride Rock come right up out of the stage floor! Those of you who have been to Broadway before may not be quite as blown away by what I am describing, but for my first experience with a Broadway production, I was transfixed! Still on an adrenaline high from the production, we went to Times Square to have our picture taken. Times Square was very different from

We got the group together for a picture after the show.

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This is one delicious store!

This is similar to the mask used in costuming for the show.

what I thought it would be. There were people everywhere. It was a little frightening to think of how easily we could get separated. It is a good thing by that day our tour group had been together long enough that if we couldn’t see our tour guide, we could at least see someone from the group and stick to them. The kids were laughing at the diversity of ideas and people in Times Square. On one corner a man was preaching about the need to turn to Jesus, and on the corner just opposite

stood people handing out propaganda about legalizing marijuana. We saw people dressed up like Spiderman, Minions, and the Statue of Liberty. They were hoping for tips, but we were saving our money for the stores. We had done some shopping earlier that day on 5th Avenue, but we were hungry for some souvenirs that were a little more in our price range. Our tour guide took us to a store that had three floors of trinkets and gifts, but he said we only had 20 minutes to shop and check out. You

should have seen us hurrying through the store trying to choose the perfect gift for everyone at home. It is too bad that the cashiers didn’t realize (or care about) our hurry. It took us a bit longer than 20 minutes, but we got our prizes. Then we headed to Hershey’s Chocolate World and M&M’s World to finish off our spending money. All sugared up we hoofed it to the subway to head back to the hotel for some much needed sleep.

Times Square is beautiful at night, but very crowded.

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McKenna and Brynnan show their excitement for attending a Broadway show.

The other Lubbock group who traveled with us went to see Aladdin. They loved it as well.

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he water rocked the ferry as we stepped aboard the vessel that would take us to one of the most recognized landmarks in all of America, The Statue of Liberty. Trying to quell our seasickness but not our excitement, we climbed the stairs to the topmost deck and jockeyed for a place along the rails. Sculptor FredericAuguste Bartholdi wanted the statue to represent the liberty and progress America enjoyed, so he created our statue after the Roman goddess Libertas. And there is additional symbolism in every aspect of her design. Lady Liberty’s crown has seven rays representing the seven seas and seven continents. She holds a tablet in her left hand to represent law. Inscribed on the tablet is the date the Declaration of Independence was signed. France was fighting her own fight for freedom at the time,

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so the French were encouraged by our successful venture to create a country run by the people. While there was support within France for creation of a statue to give to America, the French government didn’t fund the project. People from all sections of French society gave toward the work from the elite who valued freedom to ordinary schoolchildren who wanted to participate in a project of lasting value. Lady Liberty was created out of copper so she started out life the color of a penny. In fact, if she were dismantled today, her copper skin could create 30 million pennies. Her brown color isn’t how we see her today, though. Because of oxidation she slowly turned green, and by 1920 she was entirely the green color she is today. Her copper skin is wrapped around a skeleton of sorts created of iron by Gustave Eiffel. The statue itself stands 152 feet tall, so Notice her seven pointed crown and tablet. Do you remember what they represent?

Best. Trip. EVER.

The sonnet by Emma Lazarus that is inscribed on the pedestal:

The New Colossus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beaconhand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempesttost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

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she was in need of a large base. The agreement between the French and the United States was that France would fund the statue if America would foot the bill for the pedestal. In typical American fashion, we had grand designs for the pedestal. Before construction, though, we scaled it back a little because of funding. The

pedestal still stands a respectable 89 feet tall. Funding was difficult because America was in the throes of an economic depression and what money could be spared was thought to be better spent on statues honoring American heroes instead of on this classical styled gift from France. It was at this point that Joseph Pulitzer really gave

the project a boost by offering to print the name of every single donor in his newspaper. Money started coming in from all across the country. People gave what change they could spare, and in 5 months they had raised $102,000 to complete the pedestal. While $102,000 doesnâ€™t seem like much in our day, when you think that it took 120,000 donors

Here you can see the pedestal that ordinary Americans joined together to purchase.

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FIVE Getting a good spot along the rail on the ferry to the Statue.

mailing in a few cents at a time and 80% of the project was funded by donations of less than one dollar, it is remarkable. While schoolchildren in France had raised money for the statue, schoolchildren in America also donated their coins for the pedestal. This was truly a global project before the global age. Once the pedestal was completed, it was time to assemble the frame and attach the copper skin. On October 28, 1886, Liberty Enlightening the World was dedicated. The

ceremony was preceded by a parade whose route went by the New York Stock Exchange. There the traders threw ticker-tape out the windows in celebration, inspiring the phrase ticker-tape parade. Although we were only on the ferry for a few minutes, unlike the weeks or months thousands of immigrants to America endured, we were also thrilled to see the statue grow bigger as we came closer. Once we disembarked on Liberty Island, the excitement was palpable. To think that of the almost four million people who visit this national icon each year, today was our turn. Today we get to see the statue we have heard about all our lives. We get to walk around the most impressive symbol of freedom and hope for

Even looking through the trees the Statue of Liberty is beautiful.

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Brynnan, McKenna, Hayden, Zachary, and Charli cheesing in front of the Statue of Liberty.

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a new life that the immigrants saw as they came flooding into America during the last part of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries.

She helped those tired and poor immigrants know that America was a land of promise. America was a land where you had the opportunity

This is a brief look at Ellis Island.

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to learn and work and worship as you choose. It was truly a privilege to stand on that island under the shadow of Lady Liberty and know

that we are a part of her. We are part of those schoolchildren so long ago who unselfishly gave their precious pennies of copper to create a place for the

lady of copper. Although she grew smaller as the ferry took us farther away from the island on which she stands, she will forever be tall in our hearts.

She looks so majestic on this beautiful clear day.

Best. Trip. EVER.

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â€œI may never know the answers to questions that plagued me after 9/11. But I know if we lean on God and each other we will be guided to a better, brighter future.â€?

-Michael Hingson, 9/11 survivor

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ven though the 9/11 Memorial was one of our very last stops in New York, I think it was one of the best places we visited in New York. Ever since I found out about the terrorist attacks that happened on September 11, 2001, Iâ€™ve always been very curious about what happened. The memorial was a very emotional place to be for everyone, whether you were alive during the attacks or not. I was not born when the attacks happened, but the memorial was still very emotional for me. I felt very sad because I know how many people lost their lives that day; including the people who protect us every day like police officers and firemen. So many of them lost their lives that day, and seeing the memorial really touched my heart. While I was at the memorial, I stopped and wondered what these people must have been feeling or experiencing when they saw a plane heading straight for the Twin Towers. One thing I donâ€™t understand is why people that worked on higher level floors and saw that plane flying towards them decided to jump out their windows into the streets below. I understand that people were feeling so many emotions at once and that it was hard to think straight or at all in that moment, but it amazes me that people actually made the decision to jump even though they probably knew their chances of surviving that jump werenâ€™t very high. The water looks still on top, but it runs quickly down these 30-foot waterfalls.

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Names of victims and first responders are all listed around the edge of each memorial.

Such beauty out of such a tragedy. It reminds me of Godâ€™s promise in Isaiah 61:3 to give a crown of beauty instead of ashes.

At the memorial, there are two twin reflecting pools that each sit about an acre in size. The pools sit tight within the footprints of where the Twin Towers once stood. The names of every person that died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life 150 |

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resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history. The memorial and museum also honor the six victims of the February 26, 1993, attack. One of the coolest things at the memorial was a tree. Not just any tree though, the Survivor Tree. The Survivor Tree |

Best. Trip. EVER.

was the only living thing found at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks. In October 2001, the tree was discovered at Ground Zero severely

damaged, with snapped roots and burned and broken branches. The tree was removed from all of the

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9/11 Memorial

The names are carved deep so flowers and momentos can be placed in the names.

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rubble and was placed in the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. After its recovery and rehabilitation, the tree was returned to the memorial in 2010. New, smooth limbs extend from the gnarled stumps, creating a visible demarcation between the tree’s past and present. While we were at the memorial and exploring everything, we saw some police officers. We don’t know if they were in the 9/11 attack helping people out of buildings or if they were there just

making sure nothing happened at the memorial. Either way, those police officers put their lives on the line every day to protect us and our country. Every day police officers have to be brave and deal with situations that some of us will never have to experience. They aren’t being forced to do any of the things that they do for us, they choose to do those things. During my time on this trip, I learned many new things. However, probably one of the coolest things that I learned is that still water represents death

and moving water represents life. While I was looking at the memorial’s twin reflecting pools, I found that the water is constantly moving. So even though I probably didn’t see or learn about every part of the memorial, I definitely learned a lot about what happened that day. I was glad I got to experience this with my friends and my mom, and I’m grateful for all the things that I’ve learned about what happened on September 11, 2001.

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Put off by the brusque manner of the employee who took our orders, telling us that we could “order anything on the menu” as long as we ordered pancakes and did it as soon as he got to our table, I inwardly compared him to the “Soup Nazi” of Seinfeld fame. Then we were told that on September 11th, the entire front glass of this cafe was blown out when the planes hit the Twin Towers. They were saved from further damage by a tractortrailer someone abandoned in front of the store just in time. For the next month and a half the cafe was used for medical triage. And they fed the clean-up crews for months after that. I officially revise my earlier assessment of the place. SUMMER 2016

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tanding on the ferry with our backs to the Statue of Liberty, we could see the beautiful New York skyline of Lower Manhattan. This view shows the most powerful financial district in the entire world. From the time it was surveyed and made a street in 1685, Wall Street has been a meeting place for business transactions. From 1711 to 1762 there was a slave market at the corner of Wall Street and Pearl Street. Although traders today on Wall Street aren’t trading human beings, the perception of Wall Street is still negative in a lot of respects. The term Wall Street refers to all the big corporations who operate in Lower Manhattan as well as in reference to corporate America in general. When there is an economic downturn, fingers point toward Wall Street and ask what they did to cause the mess. Many people associate Wall Street with corporate greed and unethical business practices. But regardless of the public perception,

Wall Street is a major player in the worldwide economy. It was for this reason the terrorists chose the twin towers of the World Trade Center to hit on September 11, 2001. While they did impact millions of lives that day, the new One World Trade Center is a testament to American resiliency. Also called Freedom Tower, One World Trade Center stands as the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Its spire on top reaches 1,776 feet in reference to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. When our tour guide pointed out the replacement tower to us after breakfast, it just looked like another tall building among tall buildings. It wasn’t until I could see it from a distance that I realized just how tall it is in comparison to the other buildings of Lower Manhattan. Other towers will be built to help replace the office space that was lost when the twin towers fell, but they won’t be rebuilt the same. Our tour guide told us that the twin

Here is a look at the Financial District of Lower Manhattan.

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towers blocked out so much light with their height and proximity to each other that New Yorkers referred to the place around the towers as Gotham City. The financial district has seen its share of problems, but there are also some good things associated with this area of New York. The first US Capitol was housed here. George Washington was also inaugurated as the first president of our nation here in Lower Manhattan. This area was also given a very special gift one year. After the stock market crash of 1987, an ItalianAmerican sculptor began working on The National Museum of the American Indian is located within the U.S. Custom House.

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• Climate/Dust Control Units • Free Moving Trailers • No Deposit Required • Well Lit Driveways • Digital Surveillance • On-Site Managers Lubbock-Cooper Middle School DC/NYC Trip | 2016 | 157 • Electronic Gates *Applies to new rentals only SUMMER

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FIVE a piece to encourage America that her finances were still strong and would fight through the crisis to recover. Late one night he moved his 3.5 ton bronze bull and placed it outside the New York Stock Exchange. The officials there were less than thrilled with his gift and insisted it be moved. It was given a temporary home on Bowling Green, a neighborhood created in Lower Manhattan. It has become such a tourist attraction that the city has not moved it like they do with most artwork that is displayed for a short time then rotated. When we got to see this landmark, our tour guide challenged us to rub a part of the bull for good financial luck, but he didn’t tell us which part. Many students followed the example of the other tourists crowded around the bull and rubbed the testicles. Others chose the horns to rub for luck. Although I couldn’t find it anywhere in my research, our tour guide told us that it was actually the snout that we should have rubbed for luck. The bull is a symbol of a market that is strong with buyers. I don’t know about buyers, but I do know the tourists were more than willing to be strong and shove each other aside to get a good selfie with the Charging Bull. One other building of note that was pointed out to us in the Financial District was Trinity Church. We didn’t get to go inside the church, but I found a few interesting facts about it. The land on Broadway in Manhattan was purchased by the Church of England and was chartered as a church in 1697. The rent was 1 peppercorn per year for over 200 acres. The original building was modest but increased in size as more was added including Trinity School and King’s College (now known as Columbia University). During the Revolutionary War the British occupied the church. It burned Beautiful flowers lending some color to the urban landscape.

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I love this reminder of America within the commerce capital of the world.

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This is Trinity Church.

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in 1776 during the Great New York City Fire along with 400-500 other buildings and houses. The second Trinity Church was completed in 1790 SUMMER 2016

and torn down again in 1839. The third and current Trinity Church was completed in 1846, and the tip of the cross was the tallest point in

Best. Trip. EVER.

New York until the New York World Building surpassed it. In 1976 it was made a National Historic Landmark. In 1976 Queen

Elizabeth II and Prince Philip came to visit the church, and they were given back rent of 279 peppercorns. A peppercorn each year

Finance Dist rict

The Charging Bull

Transportation in New York includes an underwater tunnel like this one.

may be the most profitable business transaction ever made in the Financial District considering Trinity Church has

given away over $46 million dollars to charities since 1971. If we ever visit Trinity Church again, I am going to make time

to see the Trinity Root. It is a bronze sculpture that incorporated the roots from a sycamore tree that had stood for almost 100 years

but was knocked down on September 11th. People found sanctuary from the debris inside the church that day.

Alexander Hamilton and many other dignitaries have found permanent sanctuary inside the church graveyard.

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Chinat own/Lit t le It aly

BRYNNAN

BROOKS

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eeing Chinatown and Little Italy in New York, I could really tell that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s quote was true. It was really fun and interesting to see because we got to see that even though we live in an area with a small population of Chinese or Italian people, and we don’t see much of that nationality, we got to experience what their culture was like. Chinatown is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City with Little Italy to its north. Chinatown has the largest enclave of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere. There is an estimated population of 90,000 to 100,000 people. This also means that Manhattan’s Chinatown is one of the oldest Chinese ethnic enclaves. The one that we visited, in Manhattan, is one of nine Chinatown neighborhoods in New York City. It is also one of the twelve in the New York metropolitan area which is the largest Chinese population outside of Asia with about 819, 527 uniracial people as of 2014.

When we went to Chinatown, we found that the Chinese people were definitely unashamed of marketing their product in a very brazen way. Just walking up to the street where we were to meet after a certain amount of time to shop, many people came up to us and asked if we wanted this handbag or this necklace. Even when our tour guide was telling us that they would just come right up to us and ask if we wanted this or that, there was a Chinese lady standing right there next to us trying to get us to buy a handbag. It was very hard to walk around all of the streets just because there were so many people crammed into those few streets. They had all kinds of stuff there. They had jewelry, scarves, hats, food, t-shirts, massage places, restaurants, luggage, I-heart-New-York stuff, fresh fish, sunglasses, handbags, and so much more. There were so many different shops, and the signs were even in Chinese. One of the things that my mom tried in Chinatown was lychee. We were walking past

The streets were very crowded. We always felt like we were in someone’s way.

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“No matter the nationality, no matter the ethnic background, America brings out the best in people.”

-Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Even the architecture has a Chinese feel.

Here is some interesting artwork on the buildings.

a fresh fruit and fish stand when one of the vendors asked if we wanted some of the fruit. It looked pretty tasty. If there was one thing I could compare it to, it sort of looked like a very large, brownish red, bumpy jelly bean. She offered

a taste of one of them for free, so my mom decided to try it. She didnâ€™t really know if you were supposed to peel it or what, but the vendor wasnâ€™t offering anything or saying that she should peel it, so she bit into it. It smelled like fish.

I wish I would have saved some more spending money to use in Chinatown!

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VENTURAHOMESTEXAS.COM

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Chinat own/Lit t le It aly

The seafood markets didnâ€™t smell good, but they had quite a variety of things.

Shops are on the bottom floors and apartments are on the upper floors in Chinatown and Little Italy.

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DAY My mom might have known to peel the lychee first if she had seen this picture.

Unlike lychee, bumpy nerds are delicious!

This building is painted to look like the Italian flag.

Unlike Coach Hopkins’ experience with her caricaturist, we loved the way this street artist created the girls’ names.

FIVE That was the first sign that something was off. I mean, a fruit that smells like fish? My mom said that it tasted like fish too, but she had to pretend that she liked it so that the vendor wouldn’t get offended. When we looked it up later, we found out that you are supposed to peel off the hard, crunchy shell, but it was too late then. When our tour guide was telling us about the prices and everything, he explained that it is understood that what they are selling is not authentic. You aren’t really getting Oakley sunglasses or Tiffany’s jewelry. He also told us that shoppers are expected to haggle. When we were walking around in the shops, I saw a jewelry store and went in. I saw a necklace that I really liked. The lady told me that it was $25. I had already told my mom that I wasn’t going to haggle, I am just too shy. I didn’t want to pay $25 for the necklace, so I put it back down. It kind of seemed like the lady started to freak out just a little. She said that if I liked it she could give me a better price, but I didn’t want to so my mom and my friend McKenna haggled it down to $15 so that I could get the necklace. My mom also got a hat for $7, but the lady there was a lot less willing to haggle so she came down from $8 to $7. I would say my overall experience in Chinatown was a little overwhelming, but pretty fun.

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Little Italy is basically like Chinatown, only, instead of Chinese people, it is mostly Italian people. As of the Census in 2000, 1,211 Italian residents live in Little Italy. Because it is so much smaller, we spent significantly less time in Little Italy, but it was a little less overwhelming. It wasn’t so much tourist trinkets as restaurants and Italian food places. When we were there, we got some bubble tea, gelato, and my mom got some cannoli. The gelato was really good and McKenna and my mom liked the cannoli a lot. The only thing about Little Italy that I didn’t like was that the residents seemed offended that we didn’t know what cannoli or gelato was, but overall I really enjoyed visiting and enjoying some of the food of Little Italy. The last thing that we got before we left was a painting from a Chinese artist. It was my name that was painted to look like some of the attractions in New York. It took him no time at all to paint it too; he painted it in about five minutes. That is hanging up in my room right now. It was really interesting to see Chinatown and Little Italy. It was a good learning experience to learn about the ItalianAmerican and ChineseAmerican cultures. I would certainly want to go back, but until then I will enjoy my souvenirs!

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FINISH

You would never know that it was 3:30 a.m. by their excitement and enthusiasm as we began the trip.

Random Fun Pics

Our wonderful tour guide Deb explains how our meal vouchers work. You can see we were all listening intently to that vital piece of information!

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I know I have a lot of subway pictures, but it really was fun to ride them. And it was so much better than when we tried to drive in the city.

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Ashlynn Terry

We had to wait at the airport for quite a while before our bus arrived.

Mrs. Anger was taking a picture of this beautiful foundain when her son told her not to. She didnâ€™t understand why until he pointed out that a man was bathing in the fountain. I guess everyone deserves a bath.

Nature and progress coexistingâ€”Although I prefer the unhindered vistas of West Texas.

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This sign may have been a warning that we were going to do a lot of walking on this trip. I believe we averaged 10-15 miles each day.

Headed to our hotel rooms at the end of an eventful day.

Random Fun Pics

The streets were so crowded with cars in Washington that many people rent bikes at these locations.

We ate at some great places. This was our first meal together.

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Ready to see the sights!

I loved this view of the flags on the top of the building.

Here are more of our kids experiencing the subway for the first time. We were careful to follow the signs in the subway, but we still feared getting separated from the group. While this did happen to one member, thankfully she was a sponsor and knew where she was going.

We walked by where they film Good Morning America. A couple of our adults risked the wrath of the tour guide and decided to stay behind to catch a glimpse of The Rock. We met a few interesting characters on the subway including the man who serenaded us, but people were overall kind. We are so thankful for our brave fire departments all across America.

In some places the subway tiles could use a remodeling.

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One last trip picture.

FINISH

Late night pizza party in NYC!

After riding the subway, the Skylink train is no problem.

Saying goodbye to friends we made on the trip.

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The airport in Midland was a welcome sight.

Some of our group taking a much needed rest after a long and arduous trip. Waiting on luggage.

Random Fun Pics

Although I think everyone had a great time, they were glad to finally be heading home.

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graphic

DESIGN

FULL THROTTLE!

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! D E S A B K C BBO SUMMER 2016

Best. Trip. EVER.