A group of 12 students along with six adult chaperones from Kosciusko High School and Kosciusko Junior High School traveled to Washington D.C. and New York City.
The trip was led by high school music teacher Stephanie Holmes and junior high gifted teacher Darcy Bingham.
The group’s tour was through Education First (EF) out of Boston. The students and adults from KHS traveling with Ms. Holmes were Kanena Clark, Kayla Clark, Aziah Gillum, Bridgette Gillum, Brittlyn Gillum, Stacey Holmes, Mari Grace Hood, Naja Mays, and Noelle Riley. Students and adults from KJHS traveling with Mrs. Bingham were Truett Berry, Price Logan, Dawn McLellan, Arlow Nix, Tanner Pettit, Ella Williams, and Lindsey Williams.
Day One
On June 11, the group of students and staff departed from Memphis, TN and returned on June 15. After a short flight, the group landed in Washington, D.C. and met their tour guide, Marsha. The first adventure of the day was to the Smithsonian Museum, where the group saw the ruby slippers, hope diamond, and the flag that inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The group that toured the monuments around the Tidal Basin with a photo stop at the Washington Monument before dinner.
After dinner, the group continued with the tour and stopped for a photo at the White House and the Thaddeus Kosciuszko monument in Lafayette Park. The group saw several other monuments on the tour ending with the Vietnam Wall, Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial.
Day Two
After a good night’s sleep and breakfast, the group rejoined to continue the tour of Washington. The second day including stops at the MLK and FDR memorials and Capitol Hill. The bunch then traveled to Mount Vernon, home of George Washington and toured his home, visited his and Martha Washington’s gravesite and explored the area. In the afternoon they traveled to Alexandria for dinner. After a little free time, the group when on a ghost tour to explore the haunted side of Alexandria.
Courtesy of Stephanie Holmes / Kosciusko School District Kosciusko students and chaperones are pictured in front of The White House in Washington, D.C.
Day Three
On day three the group checked out of their hotel in Maryland and after enjoying breakfast went back into D.C. for the rest of the morning. They visited Arlington National Cemetery, where they saw JFK’s gravesite and the Arlington House. They then witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was a very moving experience for the group. After lunch in Pentagon City, the group visited the Pentagon 9/11 memorial before making the drive to New York City.
When the group arrive in NYC, they had a nice dinner at Hudson Yards before going to the top of The Edge to enjoy views of the skyline. Some of the group even decided to be brave enough to stand on the glass floor! They then traveled across the Hudson River to get to their hotel in New Jersey. They all had amazing view of the NYC skyline and were even able to watch the full moon rise over Manhattan.
Day Four
On day four the group started the day with a trip to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Everyone took picture and enjoyed lunch at Ellis Island before exploring the museum. The group spent most of the afternoon touring the Financial District, where they saw Wall Street, Trinity Church, Alexander Hamilton’s grave, and the Fearless Girl and Charging Bull statues. The group then visited Ground Zero and walked around the 9/11 Memorial.
They then hopped on the subway and made their way to Times Square where the group got to enjoy a quick souvenir stop, dinner, and the Broadway show Come from Away that tells the story of how the town of Gander, Newfoundland took in flights stranded after the 9/11 attacks. After the show, several of the students were able to speak with the actors as they exited the theater.
Day Five
The students started off the day with a tour. After talking to the walls in the Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Station, the group visited the New York Public Library, where they were able to see different types of rare books, original copies of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and the toys that inspired the Winnie the Pooh books.
The group then enjoyed New York Pizza for lunch, explored F.A.O. Schwartz and Rockefeller Center, where some of the students met Hoda Kotb. The students then went to Central Park, where they visited the Strawberry Fields.
Courtesy of Stephanie Holmes / Kosciusko School District Hoda Kotb, co-anchor of NBC News morning show “Today,” took a photo with Kosciusko students at the Rockefeller Center.
They then traveled to the airport and bid farewell to their tour director Marsha, awesome bus driver Alex, and NYC.
Plans are being made for a June 2023 trip to Boston. Interested KJHS students and their families need to contact Robin Cain at robin.cain@kosciuskoschools.com, and KHS students and their families need to contact Stephanie Holmes at stephanie.holmes@kosciuskoschools.com
