Visiting the Capitol is something not many Americans can say they have done. We, as Spalding students and ultimately Maryland residents, are fortunate to live so close to the Capitol that we can take a quick 1-hour car ride to this American historical landmark.
The day started bright and early, and students were expected to arrive at school at 7 AM sharp to board the bus, doing so quickly and in an orderly fashion. After a lengthy bus ride, we were greeted at the Capitol by William McFarland, a Spalding dad, and also Sergeant at Arms. After going through security, students and chaperones were ushered into a private room where we got speeches from various congress members. It started with Mr. McFarland welcoming Spalding and explaining how the rest of the session would go. Then he welcomed Bruce Westerman (U.S. Representative for Arkansas’ 4th district). He spoke about his experience as a representative. Next came Sarah Elfreth (U.S. Representative for Maryland’s 3rd district). Since the majority of Spalding students and chaperones live in Maryland’s 3rd district, she spoke to us on a more personal level. Being able to listen to a person who is actively representing us in the country was, again, something that not many Americans can say. Then we had a special guest speaker. While Mr. McFarland coordinated the trip with Ms. Mullin (American Government teacher & field trip coordinator), he kept the final speaker a secret to surprise everyone on the field trip. The speaker was Steve Scalise (Majority Leader in the U.S House of Representatives). Scalise started with light-hearted jokes about his distaste for the University of Alabama, a rival of his favorite team, Louisiana State University. But the tone changed when he went into the story of when he was shot during a congressional baseball game. He recalled the experience and spoke about how it changed him. After that, he opened the floor to questions, giving Capitol building squish toys to anyone who asked.
Then, students were allowed to choose where to go next. They could either take a tour of the Capitol building or have Mr. McFarland show them the SWAT cars and other military-related items. After both concluded, students had the chance to explore DC. They could get lunch wherever they pleased, as long as it was within the limit of where they were allowed to stay. They were also allowed to explore various parts of Capitol Hill. They could visit the House and the Senate, the botanical gardens, the Library of Congress, and even some representatives if they were able. The day then concluded with a meeting with Chris Van Hollen (Maryland Senator) on the Capitol Hill steps, during which he gave a speech about himself and how Congress operates. Then he opened up for questions and answered a few from students. Then, the day concluded with a group picture (seen above).
Visiting the Capitol gave the students a firsthand look at our government in action. Hearing from leaders such as Bruce Westerman, Sarah Elfreth, Steve Scalice, and Chris Van Hollen made the experience unforgettable. It reminded students that we are lucky to be able to witness so much history just one hour away.
