DC Diaries

Destination: Washington, DC
Duration of Stay:  Saturday, February 19-Thursday, February 24
Group Members: 2 teachers (Ms. Cobarrubia and Mr. Schmuck), 8 students (Katy Anderson, Micaela Asercion, Natasha Azevedo, Emily Carolin, Mikala Evans, Kellyn Spychala, Lauren Spiteri, Alyssa Perez)

Day One:

We left early Saturday morning, after meeting at the airport at 5:30 am.  That night after flying through Chicago O’Hare Airport, we arrived at Reagan Washington National Airport. Everyone settled into their hotel rooms and freshened up to get ready for a night on the town, or at the mall that is. After a dinner at the food court, we spent time walking around a mall packed with middle school children on their own DC trip.  After heading back to the hotel, we all immediately crashed, exhausted from a long day of travelling and shopping.

Day Two:

After waking up the next morning and eating breakfast, we attended a workshop on leadership headed by our group director for the week, Sydney. We discussed the qualities of leadership comparing famous celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Britney Spears to presidents and world leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and President Barack Obama.

Soon after, we went mass at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Saying that the basilica was huge is an understatement because it was colossal and “immaculately” decorated from floor to ceiling, with statues, gold edging and tile.

After mass, we embarked on our presidential power study visit, visiting the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and Franklin Roosevelt Memorial. Both memorials were very powerful and helped us see why they are considered to be such influential presidents.

That afternoon we visited the National Museum of Natural History and National Museum of American History. We viewed iconic historic items such as the Dorothy’s ruby slippers, Julia Child’s kitchen, Kermit the Frog and the Hope Diamond. As it started to get dark, we headed up to the Iwo Jima Memorial in Virginia, which was especially powerful when everything around us was shrouded in darkness except for the compelling statue.

For dinner that night we met Mary Clare Bernal and Grace Armstrong, who both graduated from Pres last year and currently attend college in DC.  As we walked around the World War II Memorial later that night, it started to sprinkle, intensifying the solemn effect of the memorial.
Day Three:

The next morning we took the metro for the first time, travelling from Crystal City, Virginia to the center of Washington DC. After leaving the metro and walking a couple of blocks, we arrived at a new museum called the Newseum, which contains the history of journalism and press. An important part of this museum is the First Amendment, which gives Americans their first five rights. It is this amendment that is carved into the stone on the side of the building, as reminder to all of the liberties that they have.  There we attended a First Amendment workshop, watched a 4D movie about the history of press, toured through a 9/11 exhibit and visited a Hurricane Katrina exhibit; all of which created an amazing experience.

Soon after this, we visited a string of monuments (Korean War, Vietnam Veterans and Abraham Lincoln Memorial), in our Conflict and Compromise Study Visit.  After visiting these vivid memorials, we embarked on our next museum trip to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. This museum offers a comprehensive historical narrative, which whisks visitors backing to a time when a severe injustice occurred. After a very solemn day, the entire group enjoyed an exciting night out in Georgetown. There we visited and devoured cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes, which is featured on the television show “DC Cupcakes.”
Day Four:

The morning was most certainly the most exciting, because we were headed to the White House. It was amazing to think that we were allowed inside of the white mansion stationed on Pennsylvania Avenue even if it was only a self-guided tour inside the presidential palace. After multiple security checks and a background check that had been preformed early in the year, we were finally let into the White House. As we wandered the public sector of the White House, we visited the famous Blue Room, Red Room, China Room, State Dining Hall, East room (also known as the Ballroom) and the Diplomatic Reception Room. Many of us were astounded by the fact that we were walking where former presidents and foreign dignitaries had walked. The history that these walls contained was most assuredly jaw dropping.

As senior Alyssa Perez said, “It was crazy to think that so many past presidents have walked those halls.  Now when I see press conferences on TV I can say I’ve been there.  Mr. Schmuck swears that I will be at the White House someday.  Who knows?  Maybe.  For now, it is cool enough just to say that I’ve been there.”

After an eventful morning, we headed to the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Air and Space Museum for a history-filled afternoon.  After exploring both museums and learning a great deal about the physics of flying and Native American stories, we went to dinner at the Hard Rock Café. Our rock-and-roll dinner was enjoyable and up next on the schedule, we were to be attend a performance of Shear Madness at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Shear Madness is Washington D.C.’s longest running show, which is a murder-mystery set in hair salon in Georgetown. Audience participation is essential to solving the mystery, making it a laugh for all who are involved.
Day Five:

On our second to last day, we visited Capitol Hill. First we walked to the Hart Senate Office building to meet with representatives from Senator Barbara Boxer’s and Dianne Feinstein’s offices. Ironically, we were unfortunately not able to meet with the California senators and representatives because they were back home in California. Instead we met with aides from their offices to discuss what the senators were working on and to answer any questions we might have.

After lunch in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Café (which, by the way, has really good food!), we went to meet an aide from Representative Zoe Lofgren’s office to discuss the work she does in DC and in our own community. These visits from the aides of those who work in the Capitol were definitely some of the most enlightening parts of the trip for me. Listening to them talking about the work that they do made me believe that I might want a career in politics working for those on Capitol Hill.

After these visits we went to the gallery in both the Senate and the House, to see where the nation’s laws are made. Following this we took a tour of the Capitol, viewing statues from each state and the room where the offices of the senators originally were. Now they are in separate buildings such as the Hart Senate Building and all of the Congress buildings are connected by a private tunnel and tram.  Later that night we attended Jersey Boys in Baltimore, where we saw a Tony Award-winning musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, The Four Seasons. It is a great story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. It was a magnificent end to a wonderful trip, as we were leaving the next day.
Day Six:

Our very last day was slow-paced since many of us were exhausted from traversing all over Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. We spend a couple of hours in Arlington National Cemetery where thousands of soldiers are buried, including a select few presidents such as William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy who was buried along with his wife, brothers and children. We saw the changing of guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, a very ceremonious tradition, as well as the presenting of two wreaths in front of the tombs. Soon after, we bid “goodbye” to Washington, DC after spending a wonderful trip learning all about the history of our country and what it takes to keep it running.

Appalachia Trip

 “Where are you going over break?”  For some, the answer to this perennial pre-winter break question was “Nowhere,” or maybe an exciting “Hawaii.” But for Presentation’s principal Ms. Miller, CI Chair Ms. Russo and eight Presentation students, the answer was “Appalachia.” 

For many of us, Appalachia conjures up ideas of a mountain range, but probably nothing more.  Embarrassing as it may be, that is all the majority of us know about a region within our own country that encompasses fragments of 13 states and actually has very little to do with a mountain range.

Appalachia is an eastern region that weaves through multiple states, including all of West Virginia and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.  Although named for the mountain range, the counties from each state that are declared a part of the Appalachian region are done so by economic indicators rather than certain geographical features.  Among these “indicators” are an unusually high number of people living in poor health, high poverty and minimal education.

Although the government has identified this region for the purpose of relieving those suffering from the poverty which persists there, a huge percentage of the population in Appalachia continues to struggle, even since the Johnson’s Administration’s creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).  The ARC has been devoted to increasing job opportunities, increasing Appalachia’s participation in the global economy and alleviating Appalachia’s isolated nature with an improved highway system. 

Still, despite the intentions of the ARC, a multitude of people in the Appalachian region continue to live in terrible poverty, with poverty rates in some areas as high as 24% as of 2009, according to the ARC.  With effort, it might be possible to improve the deteriorating conditions of Appalachia, but the problems at the root of the poverty have a cyclical nature, making them hard to escape.

In Appalachia, one economic idea is prominent. “Coal is king” said senior Cassie Brown and Ms. Miller.  However, it’s a double edged sword. Coal is responsible for the vast majority of poverty in Appalachians, yet it paradoxically also keeps them alive.

Approximately eight to ten years ago, coal industries began using a technique called “mountaintop removal” for coal mining.  With this practice, all of the forestation on mountaintops is swept off and obliterated so that the coal can be taken from the top.  In doing so, not only is the scenic beauty of the nature destroyed, but the environment is destroyed for the people living there.  Toxins and wastes flow down from these destroyed mountains, carrying pollutants such as arsenic into the water.  In addition, the lack of forestation on mountaintops results in flooding for those living in the valleys, ruining the already poor towns in which they live according to Ms. Miller.

At the same time, coal is the Appalachian people’s main livelihood; it is the industry that provides the majority of the jobs and opportunities in the poverty-stricken area.  What sustains the people of Appalachia kills them.  As the participants of the Appalachia trip explained, those living in Appalachia are stuck in a cycle which they cannot escape and which is ignored by the indifferent coal industries.

It is this desensitization and ignorance to a large division of our country that Presentation’s service trip was fighting.  According to Ms. Miller, “the purpose of the trip was essentially through service to be educated.”  The students were visiting “an area with third-world conditions that was located in our wealthy, industrialized nation,” said Brown.  In visiting this region, the hope was that the participants of the trip could apply the mission they became so adamant about during the trip to the area in which we live, where poverty is also present.

Silicon Valley residents cannot even begin to grasp experiences such as one described by senior Allison Tella in which they were serving at a food shelter but could no longer provide food for people one day.  Having to turn people away, even when their request was as simple as a loaf of bread, was not easy to do, especially for this group of girls so devoted to service that they were willing to dedicate their entire break to it.  Tella said, “It was just heartbreaking.”

Throughout the trip, the girls visited numerous organizations in which they were able to truly formulate a vivid picture of the conditions in Appalachia.  Among these many organizations were the Catholic Community Center, the Wheeling Soup Kitchen and the YMCA.  During each of their various experiences, the service trip participants were exposed to a multitude of people, each with their own stories and personalities to share.  There was Larry, a group favorite on the trip, present in anecdotes shared by many of the participants.  Although immersed in desperately poverty-stricken conditions, Larry still had his own personality accompanied by his positive attitude and a hat filled with cheerful trinkets collected in his poverty.  He, like any other person, had his own advice and views to share.  “He taught me to take my time in everything I do because so many people in today’s world rush through every day without thinking about what they are really doing,” said Brown. 

Then there was Rose, from Appalachian Outreach.  Although she herself had been struck by unfortunate circumstances that left her in an unhealthy state and with forced retirement from her job, she still devoted herself and her life to helping others.  “She’s got this spirit that is just so beautiful,” said Ms. Miller, who went on to compare her to a more locally known figure, Louise Benson, who founded Sacred Heart with a similar call for justice and respect of humanity and its needs.

It was this “spirit” that the participants of the trip seemed to find in many of the people they met on the trip.  Everyone they met seemed to have their own story and life.  Just like all of us at Presentation, they had friends, they had family, and they have a history.  The fact is simply that unfortunate circumstances befell them. 

Still, one thing Ms. Miller was so impressed with in the trip was the way that the Presentation students matched the vivid, hard-working spirit of the people.  “They went right through their fear!” she said.  In spending a week fighting injustice and essentially humanizing as well as personalizing the condition, this group of Presentation members has become moved in their cause, a fight against poverty and injustice.  Now that they have returned to Presentation, the fight returns to us within the community.

Summer Trips 2009: China

Traveling over five thousand miles to a foreign country with only ten other people can be pretty intimidating. But when traveling with six Pres girls to a country as fascinating as China, it doesn’t matter how nervous you are. You’ll have fun no matter what.  The culture shock of entering Beijing was less intimidating when traveling with such a great group.

 

Our group of students toured Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, and Hong Kong in our twelve days overseas, led by Mr. Schmuck, former Pres teacher Mrs. Subramanian, and three parent chaperones. Mr. Schmuck’s friendly, optimistic attitude and Mrs. Subramanian’s sharp wit were the perfect combination, leading to many laughs and priceless memories.

 

During our stay in Beijing, we visited Tiananmen Square and the emperor’s Forbidden City on the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 protests. We also got to enter the Olympic Birdcage and visit the Olympic park as well as take a tour of a local hutong via rickshaw. My personal favorite event was getting the chance to climb the Great Wall. It was a great photo opportunity, and singing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan on the way down completed the experience.

 

After an overnight train ride, we found ourselves in the city of Xi’an, where we visited the Terra Cotta soldiers and rode a stretch of the original city’s walls by bicycle. That night, we were treated to a wonderful show featuring music and dance from the Tang Dynasty. The group’s favorite Xi’an experience was the visit to the Huiling Disabled Car Center, where we got to interact with adults with learning disabilities.

 

There were many highlights on the trip, but perhaps the most memorable night was watching Mr. Schmuck rock out to an Elvis song in Guilin. The group rented out our own room, giving us the freedom to sing as loud as we wanted, and even throw in a few dance moves. Other memorable moments from our stay in Guilin were our cruise of the Li River and our walking tour of the Reed Flute Caves.

 

The final city of Hong Kong was highlighted by visits to the top of Victoria Peak and the Hong Kong Museum of History, and of course, the European-Asian mash-up that is Hong Kong shopping. Our last full days in China were filled with good food. We enjoyed a special dim sum breakfast, dinner at the world’s largest floating restaurant—aptly named the Jumbo Floating Restaurant—and dessert on our last night. Having all of us together at the same table was truly the perfect way to end our trip.

 

My first overseas experience without my parents was possibly one of the best in my life. I came back with new experiences and amazing memories, as well as a group of new friends and some mad karaoke skills. I can honestly say I would go again in a heartbeat and wouldn’t exchange this experience for anything in the world.

Summer Trips 2009: England and Scotland

Platform 9 and Three Quarters. Big Ben. The city of London. Castles and fortresses. And kilts galore! That was what I and other students had the opportunity to enjoy on the unforgettable school trip to England and Scotland.

 

There were several aspects of the trip that I thoroughly took pleasure in. For one, I have always been fascinated by European architecture. I was lucky enough to see not only famous buildings and sites, like the Westminster Abbey, but was also very exposed to the everyday architecture of the city of London. The group saw many fascinating sites while on the trip, including Big Ben, the London Tower, the Millennium Bridge, the Globe Theater, Hampton Court, Edinburgh Castle and more. Even while we were at one of the fortresses, we got to watch the Guard celebrate the Queen’s birthday by doing the 21 Gun Salute. Earlier that week, we even saw the queen drive by with her escort!

 

Generally speaking, learning history on your summer vacation isn’t exactly enjoyable. I certainly don’t see my friends reading history books in their spare time. However, this trip contained a vast amount of history, all of which was fascinating and intriguing to the group. For example, there is a whole room dedicated the wives Henry VIII had at Hampton’s Court. He didn’t like one of his wives and went to the lengths of saying she practiced witchery so she would be killed. We also went on many tours, my favorite being a murder mystery tour of a villain that was never caught but is assumed to be part of the Royal Family.

 

As the original theme of the trip was Harry Potter, we were very fortunate to see some famous sites from the movie. On our visit to Oxford College, we learned that the school’s library was used as the library in the movies. Also, we were all ecstatic to see the room on campus which the filmmakers used for the infirmary. Our group took a stroll one night down Diagon Alley, and even attempted to board the Hogwart’s Express on Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

 

Ask anyone that knows me and I’m a theater girl at heart, so it’s no wonder that the most memorable part of the trip was seeing the production of Wicked in London. It amazes me day in and day out what our techies here at Pres can do, but I was truly blown off my feet when I saw the elaborate costumes and set for the show. I was in awe for the entire evening  and I know it’s a night I will never forget.

 

Overall, the trip was one of the most beneficial and enjoyable parts of my life. Tons of people dream to go to Europe, and the few girls from our school that attended the trip really got the grand tour.