WCHS Students To Attend Inauguration
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Then-superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth and the Warsaw Community School Corp. school board approved the trip last year.
The trip to D.C. comes at no cost for the Step 1 History students. The trip was made possible by the Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, the Kosciusko Community Foundation, REMC Round-Up Grant and Warsaw Community Schools. "We have so many great foundations out there that really support education," Hoffert said.
Hoffert said they began booking the hotel rooms, bus and visits in June 2008. The only certainty they knew at that time was that the inauguration was Jan. 20, 2009. No one had any idea at that time how truly historical the inauguration would be with the first black American president.
Many 17- to 18-year-olds are disenfranchised with the American political system. But with this trip, Hoffert said, his students have became engaged in the whole process. They've followed the election process and were eager to see who would win and become the next U.S. president.
The students did have to work for the trip. In order to be in the Step 1 U.S. history class, the students had to apply. The course offers students more guidance and role models and more of a small classroom atmosphere. In order to stay in the class, students have to maintain a B average in class, have a 90-percent attendance rate and do at least five hours of community service.
"They have to have an active involvement to be a part of this class," Hoffert said.
The trip will be an active one for the students, too. Hoffert said on Monday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the students will spend as much time as possible touring D.C. "One of the big things the kids wanted to see was the Holocaust Museum. The kids wanted to come to grasp what genocide is," said Hoffert.
The American History Museum has an incredible exhibit on 16th American President Abraham Lincoln, and the Natural History Museum has some unique exhibits, Hoffert said.
"We're going to try and soak in as much culture as we can," said Hoffert.
Because of logistics, the students have to be ready to leave for the inauguration Tuesday at 4:30 a.m. The bus had to be in its assigned spot no later than 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. The walk from parking spot to the Washington Mall where the inauguration is held is about a mile.
What the students learn on the trip this week will be used in the classroom during the second term. Hoffert said students will be asked to share their knowledge and experiences from the trip in the classroom. Many historical lines from presidents past have come from inaugurations, Hoffert said. The students will not just see it on television this time, but will be living through it. "I hope when they get back, they'll be so excited, they'll want to learn more," Hoffert said.
There's a lot of apathy with the students' generation when it comes to politics, Hoffert said. While it's hard to know how the trip will spur the students on down the road, Hoffert said, "I hope it sticks with them for the rest of their lives." Anything could happen, he said.
"We could have filled 10 buses. I think this is a trip that so many students would have loved to see history being made. We feel so fortunate in being given this opportunity."
Along with the financial support from the foundations, Hoffert said Wendy Long, WCS, helped make the trip a reality. The school board has been nothing but supportive, and local community members have contributed food and snacks for the students. He also said the chaperones, WCHS Principal Troy Akers and other Warsaw teachers, also have been supportive.
"I'm just real excited to see what their (students) viewpoints will be at the end of this trip," said Hoffert.
Nick Hill is one of the WCHS students on the D.C. trip. But he's not your typical student. From Dec. 16, 2007, to Jan. 3, 2008, Hill traveled to Iowa to campaign for Ron Paul's presidential bid with Paul's youth campaign. During his trip during Christmas break, Hill was among 300 others who got to hear Paul speak. Hill and about 30 others then traveled from Des Moines to Dubuque, Iowa. While there, Hill said, they'd get up at 7 a.m., have breakfast and then campaign for Paul. He also got to see Obama, John McCain and Bill Clinton speak.
"It was pretty neat to be there," Hill said on the bus ride to D.C. Sunday night.
Obama was not Hill's pick to win the election in November, but being only 17, he was unable to vote himself this time around. And though he isn't a big Obama supporter, Hill said it will be awesome to be at the presidential inauguration. He also hopes to see Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar's office during the trip.
Hill, of Leesburg, said the best part of the trip for him will be the museums and war memorials.
Kayla Smith, 18, a Warsaw junior, said she was looking forward to "everything. It's something I've never done before."
She said she thinks Obama will bring a lot of change to America. Unlike Hill, Smith said she wanted Obama to win the election.
"I think it (the trip) should be cool, and I think we'll learn a lot that we don't learn in textbooks," Smith said.
Heather Reichert, 17, a Warsaw junior, said she was most looking forward to touring the Holocaust Museum. "I just read a lot of books about it and it sounded interesting," she said.
She said this inauguration will definitely be a lot different than previous ones. "There's never been a black president. It's different. I didn't want another guy like Bush to win and McCain was a lot like Bush," she said.
Aaron Isley, 16, also a Warsaw junior, said of the trip, "I think it'll help me learn a lot more about history."
He also was looking forward to the Holocaust Museum "because the Holocaust and World war II are my favorite periods in history. It's the most interesting to me, it always has been," he said. The inauguration is just a bonus to the rest of the trip, he said.
"I know I'll probably always remember (the trip) because it's the first time I've ever done something like this," said Isley.
Isley also had nothing but praise for Hoffert. "He's got it super organized. You couldn't ask for a better history teacher," Isley said.
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Then-superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth and the Warsaw Community School Corp. school board approved the trip last year.
The trip to D.C. comes at no cost for the Step 1 History students. The trip was made possible by the Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, the Kosciusko Community Foundation, REMC Round-Up Grant and Warsaw Community Schools. "We have so many great foundations out there that really support education," Hoffert said.
Hoffert said they began booking the hotel rooms, bus and visits in June 2008. The only certainty they knew at that time was that the inauguration was Jan. 20, 2009. No one had any idea at that time how truly historical the inauguration would be with the first black American president.
Many 17- to 18-year-olds are disenfranchised with the American political system. But with this trip, Hoffert said, his students have became engaged in the whole process. They've followed the election process and were eager to see who would win and become the next U.S. president.
The students did have to work for the trip. In order to be in the Step 1 U.S. history class, the students had to apply. The course offers students more guidance and role models and more of a small classroom atmosphere. In order to stay in the class, students have to maintain a B average in class, have a 90-percent attendance rate and do at least five hours of community service.
"They have to have an active involvement to be a part of this class," Hoffert said.
The trip will be an active one for the students, too. Hoffert said on Monday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the students will spend as much time as possible touring D.C. "One of the big things the kids wanted to see was the Holocaust Museum. The kids wanted to come to grasp what genocide is," said Hoffert.
The American History Museum has an incredible exhibit on 16th American President Abraham Lincoln, and the Natural History Museum has some unique exhibits, Hoffert said.
"We're going to try and soak in as much culture as we can," said Hoffert.
Because of logistics, the students have to be ready to leave for the inauguration Tuesday at 4:30 a.m. The bus had to be in its assigned spot no later than 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. The walk from parking spot to the Washington Mall where the inauguration is held is about a mile.
What the students learn on the trip this week will be used in the classroom during the second term. Hoffert said students will be asked to share their knowledge and experiences from the trip in the classroom. Many historical lines from presidents past have come from inaugurations, Hoffert said. The students will not just see it on television this time, but will be living through it. "I hope when they get back, they'll be so excited, they'll want to learn more," Hoffert said.
There's a lot of apathy with the students' generation when it comes to politics, Hoffert said. While it's hard to know how the trip will spur the students on down the road, Hoffert said, "I hope it sticks with them for the rest of their lives." Anything could happen, he said.
"We could have filled 10 buses. I think this is a trip that so many students would have loved to see history being made. We feel so fortunate in being given this opportunity."
Along with the financial support from the foundations, Hoffert said Wendy Long, WCS, helped make the trip a reality. The school board has been nothing but supportive, and local community members have contributed food and snacks for the students. He also said the chaperones, WCHS Principal Troy Akers and other Warsaw teachers, also have been supportive.
"I'm just real excited to see what their (students) viewpoints will be at the end of this trip," said Hoffert.
Nick Hill is one of the WCHS students on the D.C. trip. But he's not your typical student. From Dec. 16, 2007, to Jan. 3, 2008, Hill traveled to Iowa to campaign for Ron Paul's presidential bid with Paul's youth campaign. During his trip during Christmas break, Hill was among 300 others who got to hear Paul speak. Hill and about 30 others then traveled from Des Moines to Dubuque, Iowa. While there, Hill said, they'd get up at 7 a.m., have breakfast and then campaign for Paul. He also got to see Obama, John McCain and Bill Clinton speak.
"It was pretty neat to be there," Hill said on the bus ride to D.C. Sunday night.
Obama was not Hill's pick to win the election in November, but being only 17, he was unable to vote himself this time around. And though he isn't a big Obama supporter, Hill said it will be awesome to be at the presidential inauguration. He also hopes to see Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar's office during the trip.
Hill, of Leesburg, said the best part of the trip for him will be the museums and war memorials.
Kayla Smith, 18, a Warsaw junior, said she was looking forward to "everything. It's something I've never done before."
She said she thinks Obama will bring a lot of change to America. Unlike Hill, Smith said she wanted Obama to win the election.
"I think it (the trip) should be cool, and I think we'll learn a lot that we don't learn in textbooks," Smith said.
Heather Reichert, 17, a Warsaw junior, said she was most looking forward to touring the Holocaust Museum. "I just read a lot of books about it and it sounded interesting," she said.
She said this inauguration will definitely be a lot different than previous ones. "There's never been a black president. It's different. I didn't want another guy like Bush to win and McCain was a lot like Bush," she said.
Aaron Isley, 16, also a Warsaw junior, said of the trip, "I think it'll help me learn a lot more about history."
He also was looking forward to the Holocaust Museum "because the Holocaust and World war II are my favorite periods in history. It's the most interesting to me, it always has been," he said. The inauguration is just a bonus to the rest of the trip, he said.
"I know I'll probably always remember (the trip) because it's the first time I've ever done something like this," said Isley.
Isley also had nothing but praise for Hoffert. "He's got it super organized. You couldn't ask for a better history teacher," Isley said.
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