WFHA 8th Grade Visits Nation’s Capital
It's not everyday that citizens get a chance to watch their Congressional representatives in a live debate. However, that's exactly what Westchester Fairfield Hebrew Academy's eighth graders experienced on a recent trip to Washington, D.C.
"We saw an actual bill that was being made," said eighth grader Daniel Berle, about the House of Representative offshore drilling debate that he and classmates witnessed. "I thought it was amazing."
Watching the legislative process unfold on the House floor was one of the many highlights of the three-day visit.
Each year WFHA's eighth graders travel to the nation's capital to kick off their yearlong study of the events that shaped the 20th century, said World Jewish History teacher Marc Schulman.
"Washington is a perfect multi-sensory backdrop to teaching topics the students will learn throughout the year," said Schulman, adding that the trip is part of WFHA's unique World Jewish History curriculum, which integrates American, world and Jewish history, including the history of Israel.
The action-packed visit included tours to all the national monuments, the Vietnam and Korean War memorials, as well as Arlington National Cemetery. There, the students visited memorials for the U.S.S. Maine, the Shuttle Challenger and the tribute to the Iran Hostage Rescue Mission, as well as the graves of the Kennedy family, Schulman said.
The students were also very impressed by the recently opened Newseum museum, he said. "It was just tremendous multi-media presentations of some of the major events of the 20th century. It was extremely powerful."
Berle said he was amazed by the tour of Capitol Hill that included the U.S. Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.
"All the different government buildings are so nice - they made them incredible," said Berle, who was particularly excited to meet Connecticut Congressman Christopher Shays.
"It was a treat to meet someone that important," said Berle, who posed for a photograph with Shays on the Capitol steps with the rest of his class.
Eighth grader Sarah Maron said she and her classmates even had a chance to participate in Washington's cultural life when they spent an evening at the Kennedy Center to see a performance of "Shear Madness."
Fellow eighth-grader Rachel Kwan said her favorite activity was the International Spy Museum, as well as viewing the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence at the National Archives.
"Seeing these historic documents in person is impressive," Kwan said. "You get a feeling that's bigger than what you read about in books."