Twenty-one learners and family members traveled to Washington, D.C., this past week for the 58th Inauguration Ceremony. The four-day trip included visits to such sights as the World War II Memorial, The Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, The Martin Luther King Memorial, Newseum, The Air and Space Museum, Arlington National Cemetery and The Pentagon Memorial.
On Thursday, the learners attended an Art in Advocacy Workshop sponsored by Brightspark and NASA. They spent the morning debating on the scientific ethics involved with space exploration. In the afternoon, they visited the Holocaust Museum before rushing back to get ready for Thursday night’s destination — Brightspark’s Inaugural Ball at Foxchase Manor in Virginia. They dined and danced along with 650 students from around the country.
Attending the 2017 Presidential Inauguration and Swearing In Ceremony on the Capital Mall was the highlight of the trip, and thanks to Representative Steve Knight, the learners got to experience the event up close in the Silver Preferred section just below the reflecting pool.
On Saturday, Congressman Knight met the learners on the Capitol steps, before giving the group a personal tour of the Capitol, including the opportunity to walk on the dais where President Donald J. Trump was sworn a little over 24 hours prior to their arrival. The visit included a tour of the House of Representatives Chamber.
