Politics students back from dream US trip

A group of our A Level Politics students are back from an amazing six-day residential study trip to Washington DC. Here Lecturer Steve Fitzgerald tells us all about it and asks some of the students for their thoughts:

At 6am in early February, 33 students and three members of staff left the Sixth Form Campus on their way to Heathrow, where they travelled to the US capital Washington DC, for a six-day residential study trip, which directly supports their study of US Politics. The trip also offered a range of exciting cultural opportunities in a city right at the heart of a period of unprecedented political change.

On our first day, as we gathered outside our hotel, he saw a huge cavalcade of blacked out vehicles taking President Trump back to the White House after giving a speech at the hotel opposite. It was noticeable that counter demonstrations were also held outside the hotel, illustrating the current deep polarisation of US politics.

We then visited the National Museum of American History, the perfect starting point. Situated on the Washington Mall, like all museums here, it was highly interactive in nature, allowing students the opportunity to truly engage in the social, political, scientific and cultural history of the USA. Highlights included amazing exhibitions on the US Presidency and the Civil War, plus the cultural Arts exhibition, showcasing artefacts such as Prince’s original guitar, original Star Wars figures and Dorothy’s red slippers from the Wizard of Oz.

After having lunch in the Washington Mall, taking in the views of the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building, we made our way to the Holocaust Museum. This was an important, sombre and moving part of the trip, where we learned about the years leading up to one of the worst examples of genocide the world has ever witnessed. Its primary purpose today is to confront these issues, to learn from history, prevent it from repeating and promote human dignity.

We made our way back to the hotel, where the students then took the opportunity to explore the local diners in search of classic American food, which is an important cultural element of the trip.

The following day we headed to the National Archives, where we saw the US Constitution and Bill of Rights first hand, bringing their study of US Politics alive. They were able to see and understand how and why the Constitution is the most politically and socially important document in American society.

After seeking out lunch in the vibrant downtown cultural district, we made our way to the very centre of American politics – the US Capitol Building, the American legislative branch of government. Importantly, it also allowed students to see the site of the insurrection that took place in January 2021. We had a guided tour of this monument of US politics, including the spectacular Rotunda, which had also been the site of the Presidential inauguration two weeks earlier. We also managed to get into the viewing gallery to see the US Senate in action.

After that was yet another highlight of the trip, we went to the outdoor ice-skating rink in the beautiful Sculpture Gardens, where, to varying degrees of success, we skated under the lights and a full moon for a magical hour. A long day ended with further exploration of the many classic American diners situated around our hotel, pizza and pancakes appeared to be the big winners.

The next morning it snowed, making the walk down to the Washington Mall a fantastic experience. We headed into the amazing National Gallery of Art, which had exhibitions ranging from the Middle Ages to the very present. We also had time to create our own piece of artwork to celebrate Liz’s 18^th birthday!

After grabbing lunch on the go, we then visited the incredible Air and Space Museum. Inside this huge building the students explored and lived the American journey into the air, and space. The interacted exhibits covered everything from the Wright Brothers, moon landings the Hubble Space Telescope, planetariums and an IMAX theatre – breathtaking.

Our next stop was perhaps the biggest cultural experience, as we made our way to the Capital One Arena to watch an NBA Basketball game – the Washington Wizards v the Atlanta Hawks. This was the full-on capitalist experience of an American sporting occasion – razzamatazz, the largest portions of popcorn ever seen plus the excitement of a big NBA game, unforgettable.

After packing overnight, our final day had lots in store. We made our way down towards the Washington Mall, walking through Lafayette Square, an important political arena for political protest, situated adjacent to the White House. Although the front of the home of the US President was more heavily guarded and less accessible than usual, we made our way to the back of the White House, where the students were able to see and take in the significance of the political home of the US President.

From there we walked down to the iconic Lincoln Memorial. It was a beautiful sunny day, we headed to the top, taking in the impressive statue to the US President remembered here, primarily for his role in the abolition of slavery, which cost him his life. We had picked a perfect time to visit as the Washington Monument was caught beautifully by the sun in the famous reflecting pool. Students also had the chance to stand on the exact spot occupied by Martin Luther King where ne have his ‘I have a dream speech’ at the culmination of the March to Freedom.

We then made our way to our final visit – the moving and magnificent Museum of African American History and Culture, which highlights every aspect of the African American experience. Exhibits tell deeply moving stories of slavery, trace the victories and struggles of the Civil Rights Movement, detail the immeasurable influence that black artists had on music, remember the efforts of black soldiers and so much more. It was another direct link to our study of US Politics and a powerful way to finish.

We walked back to our hotel and made our way to the airport. Once there, as it was also Superbowl Sunday, we were able to watch the build up to the big game, yet another cultural highlight, and a great way to finish our trip.

The students were a credit to themselves, their families and the college, they loved it. Here are a few of their recollections:

"I really enjoyed the trip due to the vast amount of things we did and saw, the trip includes educational aspects like the museums and monuments, but also there was fun activities too like ice-skating and basketball. My favourite thing we did was the basketball game as the atmosphere in the arena is unparalleled. Thanks for an awesome trip."

Sophie Cladinboel

"I really enjoyed the Lincoln Memorial and reflecting pool it was easily my favourite part, just looked really cool to be honest. Sitting inside the senate was great fun too."

Harrison Milne

"I enjoyed talking to people that I don't usually talk to from college when we were at Washington, and I really enjoyed the experience of being at a basketball game because it was just so entertaining."

Saarah Hussain