that you have heard about our plane trip to Washington, D.C. and our Metro (subway) ride to the National Mall. Next, we visited the Washington Monument, we were not able to take the elevator up to the top due to the earthquake damage in August of 2011.

We walked on towards the Lincoln Memorial and made a stop at the World War II Memorial. We walked around its oval shape and looked at its 43-foot arches, representing the war’s Atlantic and Pacific theaters. There are 56 pillars representing the states, territories and the District of Columbia at the time of the war. The students wanted to know why the two wars were called Theaters – which I don’t know. They have always been called that and I’ve never questioned it. Perhaps someone in our congregation knows the answer to this question.

The students also saw beautiful flower wreaths around this immense Monument. The wreaths were placed in memory of V-E Day (Victory in Europe). The day prior to our arrival was the 67th anniversary of that memorable day. They couldn’t believe how huge it was and we did walk all the way around it. The kids were excited to see several live veterans and in-service personnel around the Monument. This Monument and others at the National Mall helped the students learn how much we care and honor the men and women who made it possible for us to be able to walk around these great Monuments in peace and gratitude.

Thank you church family for making this trip possible for our Lubbock Junior Academy students!