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Posted on: 5/2/2024
Like many of her classmates at Renaissance West STEAM Academy, 14-year-old Jade Patton had never been to the nation’s capital – or traveled much at all. But when eighth-graders were offered the opportunity to take an overnight trip to Washington, D.C., she was on board.
“I told my mom about it, and she was excited for me, maybe because I hadn't had that experience,” Jade said. “It felt so new to me because I had never been there before, and I didn't know what to expect.”
Jade was one of 38 students – more than half of the eighth grade class – who took the bus trip April 8-10, along with seven staff members. This was the school’s first major out-of-state trip since the school opened in 2017, and Principal Dwight Thompson and his staff were eager to provide this unique experience for their middle school scholars.
“One of the huge benefits of the Washington, D.C., visit for our eighth graders is that we are providing a game-changing experience that exposes students to career opportunities, life opportunities and history beyond Charlotte,” Thompson said. “I hope and pray that this will change their trajectory for the rest of their lives, because we have future politicians, doctors and scientists. I do hope this ignites their passion for what they do in the future.”
Students had a packed itinerary of historic sites and museums, including the U.S. Capitol, White House, U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon. They were also able to catch the solar eclipse outside the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which made a definite impact on students.
“It was a good museum, just a bad history,” said Ladarrius Howze, 13. “Hitler was very vicious, and I learned a lot of new information that I needed to know about the Holocaust. I learned that – because I didn't know this – Hitler would go and target people. He would just kill the Jews or other people that he did not like.”
Nick Adams, 14, said he was impressed by his visit to the Capitol and the many statues of important people in history, like Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln. But he especially enjoyed the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which houses a sports collection.
“I really like sports, and we got to see different African American athletes from many different sports, like Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and things of that nature,” Nick said.
Eighth grade social studies teacher Dana Smith stressed the importance of giving students exposure to areas outside Charlotte. She said the interactive exhibits and experiences helped reinforce what students are learning in the classroom.
“It helps me when I go into that curriculum for them to be able to reach back and make connections with what they viewed in the [Holocaust] museum,” she said. “This trip allowed them to see the connection between our curriculum and what they were learning in government – what it was like across the state line, at the national level and how it all interconnected.”
The trip was made possible with the support of Jane’s Fund, an organization that has worked with Renaissance West for more than a year.
“We all know the more you really see something, the more a dream seems accessible,” said Lauren Harnett, executive director of Jane’s Fund. “We adore the team and have been really moved by their creativity for their students. We get to know our partners, to know what they need and support them in a transformational way.”
This trip is hopefully the first of a new Renaissance West tradition, although there may be a few tweaks to be made next year.
“We had such a compact schedule – there was a lot of information that we were able to see but not enough time,” Smith said. “And I’ll tell everyone to bring walking shoes, because there was a lot of walking!”
Click here to see a video about the trip.
