May 9. 2012: The morning started by meeting at the Lubbock Airport. Our students heading to D.C. didn’t need a picture I.D. and one student wasn’t asked to take off his shoes. This is how we began our exciting trip to Washington, D.C. We flew on American Airlines to Ronald Reagan Airport with a twohour stop in the Dallas International Airport. Our heads were in the clouds in more than one way that entire day.

When we landed at Ronald Reagan Airport in Virginia, we bought tickets to ride the Metro (subway), to our hotel to drop off our luggage. Our friends from Sandia View Elementary School had not yet arrived. We had to make a transfer on the Metro to arrive in College Park, where we would be staying for the next three days. We walked to the Quality Inn three blocks away from the College Park Metro Station and left our luggage there. Now, we were free to get back on the Metro and explore the National Mall. We took the Metro to the Smithsonian Station and took the escalator up into the middle of the Mall. We could see the grand National Mall expanse with our nation’s capital at one end and the Lincoln Memorial at the other end. All the students could say was, “Wow!” We then walked toward the Washington Monument, the most prominent structure on the National Mall which is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk and stands 555’ 5 1/8” tall. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led our country to independence and then became our first President.

We all felt pride in our country and amazed at how quickly the Metro can get us around town. Thank you church family for helping the LJA students take this amazing trip.