Eighth graders delve into history during Washington, D.C., excursion

Grade 8 students embarked on the annual class trip to the Washington, D.C., area in late October, hitting many historic cities and sites throughout the week.

Their trip began in earnest on Sunday, Oct. 22 with a visit to the first permanent English colony on the American continent, Jamestown. “Students spent about two hours exploring and learning about life in the re-created colonists’ fort, Powhatan Village, as well as the three ships (Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery) that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607,” said Keith Hirota, middle school history chair and one of the chaperones on the trip. Later that day, the group visited Colonial Williamsburg to eat at the King Arms Tavern, established in 1722, which served the elite citizenry of Virginia during the colonial period. They then took a tour of Colonial Williamsburg. “We concluded our evening with an African-American slave interpretive program through song and dance,” Hirota said. “Students and teachers participated in several African spiritual dances as well as individual students who led the group with their own individual dance moves.”

The next day, at Pamplin Park, the students gained insight into daily life during the Civil War, visiting a reconstructed period kitchen, as well as livestock and tobacco barns. “Students learned, but were not sold on eating, the Confederate army’s ‘Johnny cake’ – corn meal poured over grease from fried salted pork,” Hirota reported. Their next stop was the National Museum of the Marine Corps, which dazzled the students with its many exhibits dedicated to the history and future of the U.S. Marine Corps. That evening, the students heard from two Harker alumni currently living in Washington, D.C., Margaret Krackler ’13 and Sean Knudsen ’14. Krackler chronicled her studies at Georgetown University Medical School, while Knudsen talked about his experiences as a political science and economics major at George Washington University.

Tuesday started with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where students learned about some of the many famous soldiers and political leaders interred there, and viewed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which included a flyover from four F-15 fighter jets. Other stops that day included the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. The students also had the chance to meet Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents California’s 17th district. He spoke to the students on a number of current issues and answered their questions. “Congressman Khanna was thoroughly impressed with not only the number, but quality of student questions,” Hirota said.

An activity-packed day awaited the students and chaperones on Oct. 26, as students visited some of Washington, D.C.’s most popular sites, including the Vietnam War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial and the White House. At the Holocaust Museum, students learned about the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s and the children who lived through the Holocaust. At Mount Vernon, the famous 21-room mansion of George and Martha Washington, the students learned a number of fascinating details about the life of the Washingtons, including that they owned more than 8,000 acres of land and that the first president’s false teeth were not, in fact, made of wood.

On their final full day in Washington, D.C., the students walked to the National Mall and were treated to views of the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument. At the Newseum, they looked at front pages from more than 700 newspapers from around the world and learned about the history of newspapers and magazines in the United States. During a visit to Ford’s Theater, the site of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, students learned about the conspiracy that led to the death of the 16th president and even saw the Derringer pistol that John Wilkes Booth used in the killing. Students visited other sites throughout the day, including the National Archives, which offered views of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Seventh graders awed by America’s national parks

Last week, grade 7 students went on their yearly trek through America’s national parks. After arriving in Phoenix on Oct. 22, the students enjoyed a short hike in scenic Sedona before settling down in Flagstaff for dinner at Northern Arizona University. “It was funny to watch the expressions of the NAU students who were trying to figure out why there were a bunch of middle school students eating in their dining hall,” said middle school dean Alana Butler, one of the chaperones on the trip.

The cold Flagstaff weather greeted the students the next morning, which “showed many of us that layers were important,” Butler reported. After reaching the Grand Canyon, the students participated in a “trust walk,” during which they were blindfolded and led step by step to the edge of the canyon, where they removed the blindfolds to experience the beauty of one of the world’s greatest natural formations.

Students separated into groups, one of which went on a hike, “where they were passed by tourists riding mules in both directions,” said Butler. They later took part in a program on Navajo culture. Other groups enjoyed a Navajo Hoop Man performance. Following their journey through the Grand Canyon, everyone headed to Cameron’s Trading Post, where some students sampled a “Navajo taco,” which consists of “a fry bread with beans, cheese and veggies on top. For non-vegetarians, ground beef is added,” Butler explained.

Tuesday started with a short drive to Monument Valley, where the students climbed up Skull Rock and learned about the Anasazi people. At Honeymoon Arch, Navajo historian Wally Brown – whose grandfather was a Navajo code talker during World War II – gave a presentation on local Navajo tribes and their customs. After lunch, the group headed to Oljatu Wash Ranch, where members of the Tsosci family taught them more about Navajo culture, including “basket weaving, sand painting, making fry bread, taking care of livestock, grinding corn, rug weaving and dancing,” Butler said. “This was the first time that we visited the Oljatu Wash Ranch, but the Tsosci Family with relatives traveling from three states made this experience unforgettable.”

The Glen Canyon Dam was the first stop on day four. The massive structure, Butler said, has a concrete wall that can fit two football fields in its height. Their next destination was the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, a resplendent sight for the students and chaperones, who “walked, ran or jogged up to the top of the sand hill,” Butler said.

On the final day of the trip, the group headed to Bryce Canyon National Park, famous for its tall, thin rock formations, commonly called Hoodoos. Students and chaperones broke off into groups and explored various areas of the park, including Inspiration Point, Mossy Cave and Bryce Point. The day ended with an Italian dinner at Ebenezer’s Dining Hall, where students performed skits and musical numbers and reminisced about their trip.

Grade 6 students see California’s natural wonders on annual trip

Last week, grade 6 went on its yearly coastal exploration, visiting Elkhorn Slough at Monterey Bay and Redwood Glen in the Santa Cruz Mountains. To prepare for the ropes courses at Redwood Glen, students spent Oct. 23 at Harker undergoing an important safety training program. The next day, they departed in three groups. At Elkhorn Slough, students went kayaking along the 7-mile stretch of water, viewing wildlife such as otters, jellyfish and sea lions. Their time at Redwood Glen was spent learning about the ecology and geology of the area, and navigating its rope courses through cooperation and teamwork. At night, the students went on an astronomy hike. “All these activities combined with the energy supplied by the students filled the day to overflowing,” said middle school division head Cindy Ellis, who accompanied the students.

The kayaking activity, she later said, “has been the best we have ever encountered at Elkhorn Slough. The perfectly blue skies and the abundant wildlife has amazed even the most seasoned kayak veterans among the faculty.”