Without doubt there is no field trip more anticipated than the eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. Standing and waiting for the arrival of the bus as morning unfolds, you can feel the excitement. Sleeping on the way down is not part of the plan.

Once the students and chaperones arrive in Washington, D.C., there is never a free moment. As they rush from monument to monument, museum to museum, White House to Capitol, they are a busy group. There is barely time for a group picture (complete with uniforms) and then off to Ford's Theater or the Kennedy Center.

A visit to the Luray Caverns, which feature 150 foot deep explorations into the earth's crust, helps the students to understand and explore many of the earth's spectacular earth formations.

Yet another side trip to this five day tour is a visit to Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. Students get an opportunity to wander around the grounds of the 5,000 acre plantation that was once a center of agriculture and industry and the home of Thomas Jefferson and his family. The students also enjoy a Southern-style lunch at Mitchie's Tavern, a place where Jefferson and Madison often met to exchange ideas. Who knows what future leaders are eating at this same popular spot?

This trip is, without doubt, a trip of a lifetime. Being with friends who are like family while touring the nations capitol is an experience that can never be duplicated.