June 10, 2008
Nine lucky Service Learning Academy students won an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC. Each year our partner, COMPACT, selects up to 25 high students from Orange County Public Schools based on academic achievement, attendance, character and participation in service learning projects. Mary Barahona, Academy President wrote this article about the trip:
I was chosen along with 23 other students from different Orange County Public Schools to participate in an educational and inspirational trip to our nation’s capitol, Washington D.C. The students from the Timber Creek’s Service Learning Academy included: Carlos Garcia, Marissa Bergeran, Madeline Alvarez, Soraya Sackaloo, Kaley Wyker, Carla Ortiz, Jordan Charles, Allessandra Gomez and myself, Mary Barahona. The students and chaperones left Orlando International Airport on June 6th to Baltimore, Maryland to begin the experience no one will ever forget. We arrived at Baltimore safely and were greeted by our bus driver for the week, Jeff. We stayed at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center and settled in by unpacking, getting to know the roommates, and exploring the wide campus.
We participated in many activities during our six-day stay. We went to Arlington, Virginia to visit the Arlington National Cemetery. It was an opportunity for the students and even the chaperones to learn about American war history and an opportunity to honor our nation’s military who have died in wars fighting our freedom.
We visited the National World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall which was mournful, but amazing to visit since it had all of the names of the veterans of the Vietnam War imprinted on an immense, reflective wall. We visited the Smithsonian museums. My favorite was the Natural History Museum because of all of the animals.
We went to watch a performance at Dance Place called Dance Africa which was many of the participant’s favorite part of the whole trip, including myself. First, we were all outside before the doors were open to enter the studio, and there were dancers that were dancing traditional African dance with such great energy, huge similes on their faces and expressing so much joy in what they were doing. The show began with the traditional African dancing from older women and the instrumental music coming from older men. Children were also part of the show in the stepping section of the show along with other boys and girls who performed traditional African dance.
We also had leisure time. We went shopping, and had a chance to watch a movie at the mall. The day before the trip was over we all went to the Supreme Court to have a meeting with Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas. He told his story of not having much when young to being part of the Supreme Court today. He was such an inspiration to all of us on the trip. He taught us all that we can make a difference and accomplish great things if we work hard and have the right people around us that truly believe in us doing better things.
The last day we went to the Spirit lunch cruise on the Potomac River where we had a chance to talk and bond before returning to Orlando later that day. When we arrived in Orlando, we had to say our good-byes to the friends we made, and the family we had created for one week. I really do want to give thanks to Mr. Robinson, Mr. Fuller, and all of the chaperones who participated in giving me and other students the chance to this once in a lifetime experience that I will truly never forget.
Photos by Kaley Wyker
