Witnesses To History
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The students, along with chaperones, teachers and administrators, visited Washington, D.C., Sunday through Tuesday for the inauguration. They arrived home at about 4:30 a.m. today. The D.C. experience concluded with the students on the Washington Mall watching the historic inauguration with about 2 million other people. They had to get up at about 3 a.m. Tuesday for the ceremonies, but the gates didn't open until 8 a.m., with the actual event starting about 11:30 a.m.
"It was cool because there was a lot of people there. A lot of people there. So he has a lot of supporters," said junior Heather Reichert, 17, of the inauguration.
"His speech was good. A lot of people seemed to like it," she said.[[In-content Ad]]Adessa Kubley, 18, a junior, said, "I thought that Obama said some really good stuff and everything will be worked out. He is the president now."
She said, for her, the highlight was "seeing the famous people like the stars and stuff because you don't see them that close."
"I thought it was a historical event," said Deon Shafer, senior, 17. "This was something you'd remember for the rest of your life and not everyone got to be there."
Shafer said it was groundbreaking because Obama is the first black president, and he was excited to be a part of that.
As for Obama's speech, Shafer said, "He does a great job of commanding the audience." It didn't matter what Obama said in his speech, Shafer said, because everyone thinks he will do a great job.
Having attended the 56th inauguration of a U.S. president, Shafer said it will give him more of a sense of the process in future elections. He said it definitely gave him more motivation to go out and vote and encourage others to get out and vote.
"I think it is great that we have teachers that will take us to such a prestigious event," said Shafer. "It's something you will be able to tell your kids and grandkids about. ... It's something you'll always remember."
Warsaw Community High School teacher Jeanne McCormack said, "I cried. I didn't cry because Obama got inaugurated, I cried because of the magnitude these kids are experiencing and we're sharing it with them."
McCormack said it was a historical moment for the history books.
"It hit me what a gift these kids got today, what I got today," she said.
During the inauguration ceremony Tuesday, McCormack said she "looked over at the kids when Obama was speaking, and it was freezing cold, and I've got some pictures of the intensity on their faces as they watched the screen. There was an awe in the moment."
"I know they appreciate it, but some day they are going to cherish it," McCormack said.
WCHS Principal Troy Akers also attended the trip to Washington, D.C., with the students.
"First of all, when we heard the kids were going to have this opportunity and we found out who was behind it (Hoffert), we knew it would be a quality trip," said Akers.
He said he was ecstatic that the group of young people, who work really hard and, in most cases, wouldn't have this opportunity except in an educational setting, got to go.
Akers said the students got more than a free trip out of the experience. He said that when he looks at the Step 1 program, the students in it may have difficulties in relationships. However, over the course of trip, many of them experienced relationship building, teamwork and bonding not only with each other, but also the chaperones.
"I think many of these kids will tell you this was an opportunity of a lifetime," Akers said.
The positive experience of the trip, Akers said, could open the door for other trips to happen. Former Warsaw Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth and the school board took a risk in allowing the trip, he said.
"The trip was so well organized, really, it was flawless," Akers said.
"If someone said what were you most proud of on this trip, I'd have to say the students. I mean that in a more comprehensive way," said Akers. The students met expectations set for them, they paid attention to the schedule and practiced good behavior and interpersonal skills, he said.
"It was quite interesting. It felt like something historic," said Nick Hill, 17, senior, of the inauguration.
He said the most interesting part of the inauguration was "fighting the crowd, just trying to get through there to watch anything. People were everywhere. You couldn't walk. Just touching each other, no space. It felt like 'Independence Day' with everyone running, trying to get to one spot."
As for Obama's speech itself, Hill said, "It was more kind of his thing - inspiration. He didn't really try to say what he was going to do as president, just for everyone to come together. I wasn't too excited about his speech. He was a good speaker, but so was Bill Clinton. Does that make him a good leader?"
Hill plans to study political science in college. Attending the inauguration, he said, gave him a lot more knowledge about the process. He said it opened up his eyes to a lot of things and let him see things through other people's eyes. It also made him consider more the possibility of running for office some day.
Betsey Rumley is a Grace College senior and was Hoffert's student teacher last semester. She graduates from Grace in May and went on the trip to Washington, D.C., with Hoffert's Step 1 class. She said her experiences on the trip will help her with her own classes.
"For myself and my classes, I just want to use it to deepen my appreciation for history and progress," Rumley said.
While Hoffert made the plans for the trip, Rumley student-taught his classes.
"That is the highlight of the trip for me - to see the wander in these kids," she said. "I want to do that for my kids."
Like all the other chaperones, Rumley said she was impressed with the students on the trip.
"Just for these kids, I would just want everyone to know how awesome these kids were," Rumley said.
The students, along with chaperones, teachers and administrators, visited Washington, D.C., Sunday through Tuesday for the inauguration. They arrived home at about 4:30 a.m. today. The D.C. experience concluded with the students on the Washington Mall watching the historic inauguration with about 2 million other people. They had to get up at about 3 a.m. Tuesday for the ceremonies, but the gates didn't open until 8 a.m., with the actual event starting about 11:30 a.m.
"It was cool because there was a lot of people there. A lot of people there. So he has a lot of supporters," said junior Heather Reichert, 17, of the inauguration.
"His speech was good. A lot of people seemed to like it," she said.[[In-content Ad]]Adessa Kubley, 18, a junior, said, "I thought that Obama said some really good stuff and everything will be worked out. He is the president now."
She said, for her, the highlight was "seeing the famous people like the stars and stuff because you don't see them that close."
"I thought it was a historical event," said Deon Shafer, senior, 17. "This was something you'd remember for the rest of your life and not everyone got to be there."
Shafer said it was groundbreaking because Obama is the first black president, and he was excited to be a part of that.
As for Obama's speech, Shafer said, "He does a great job of commanding the audience." It didn't matter what Obama said in his speech, Shafer said, because everyone thinks he will do a great job.
Having attended the 56th inauguration of a U.S. president, Shafer said it will give him more of a sense of the process in future elections. He said it definitely gave him more motivation to go out and vote and encourage others to get out and vote.
"I think it is great that we have teachers that will take us to such a prestigious event," said Shafer. "It's something you will be able to tell your kids and grandkids about. ... It's something you'll always remember."
Warsaw Community High School teacher Jeanne McCormack said, "I cried. I didn't cry because Obama got inaugurated, I cried because of the magnitude these kids are experiencing and we're sharing it with them."
McCormack said it was a historical moment for the history books.
"It hit me what a gift these kids got today, what I got today," she said.
During the inauguration ceremony Tuesday, McCormack said she "looked over at the kids when Obama was speaking, and it was freezing cold, and I've got some pictures of the intensity on their faces as they watched the screen. There was an awe in the moment."
"I know they appreciate it, but some day they are going to cherish it," McCormack said.
WCHS Principal Troy Akers also attended the trip to Washington, D.C., with the students.
"First of all, when we heard the kids were going to have this opportunity and we found out who was behind it (Hoffert), we knew it would be a quality trip," said Akers.
He said he was ecstatic that the group of young people, who work really hard and, in most cases, wouldn't have this opportunity except in an educational setting, got to go.
Akers said the students got more than a free trip out of the experience. He said that when he looks at the Step 1 program, the students in it may have difficulties in relationships. However, over the course of trip, many of them experienced relationship building, teamwork and bonding not only with each other, but also the chaperones.
"I think many of these kids will tell you this was an opportunity of a lifetime," Akers said.
The positive experience of the trip, Akers said, could open the door for other trips to happen. Former Warsaw Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth and the school board took a risk in allowing the trip, he said.
"The trip was so well organized, really, it was flawless," Akers said.
"If someone said what were you most proud of on this trip, I'd have to say the students. I mean that in a more comprehensive way," said Akers. The students met expectations set for them, they paid attention to the schedule and practiced good behavior and interpersonal skills, he said.
"It was quite interesting. It felt like something historic," said Nick Hill, 17, senior, of the inauguration.
He said the most interesting part of the inauguration was "fighting the crowd, just trying to get through there to watch anything. People were everywhere. You couldn't walk. Just touching each other, no space. It felt like 'Independence Day' with everyone running, trying to get to one spot."
As for Obama's speech itself, Hill said, "It was more kind of his thing - inspiration. He didn't really try to say what he was going to do as president, just for everyone to come together. I wasn't too excited about his speech. He was a good speaker, but so was Bill Clinton. Does that make him a good leader?"
Hill plans to study political science in college. Attending the inauguration, he said, gave him a lot more knowledge about the process. He said it opened up his eyes to a lot of things and let him see things through other people's eyes. It also made him consider more the possibility of running for office some day.
Betsey Rumley is a Grace College senior and was Hoffert's student teacher last semester. She graduates from Grace in May and went on the trip to Washington, D.C., with Hoffert's Step 1 class. She said her experiences on the trip will help her with her own classes.
"For myself and my classes, I just want to use it to deepen my appreciation for history and progress," Rumley said.
While Hoffert made the plans for the trip, Rumley student-taught his classes.
"That is the highlight of the trip for me - to see the wander in these kids," she said. "I want to do that for my kids."
Like all the other chaperones, Rumley said she was impressed with the students on the trip.
"Just for these kids, I would just want everyone to know how awesome these kids were," Rumley said.
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