8th Grade Trip -
Washington D. C.
The Kennedy Middle School PTA annually helps to coordinate an 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. This trip is an all-inclusive type of trip and pricing provided includes all lodging, airfare, meals and ground transportation. The only expenses not included are your child's personal spending money/souvenirs.
Please note that this is a PTA sponsored trip and NOT a district sponsored event.
We aim to select dates so that departures take place over the weekend following the end of the school year however will always take into account when that year's high school graduation is scheduled and will not have the class traveling over the high school graduation so that families may celebrate together. Final dates for each class are announced during their 7th Grade year once the school calendars for the next year are district approved.
Planning will begin and be announced during their 6th grade year and students will be able to start signing up and making payments towards the trip at that time.
Below you will find the FAQs and as well as links to your class' specific planning group where more detailed information will be shared and discussed regarding plans.
Supreme Court Tour/Lecture
A 30 minute lecture in the actual court room will give students insights into the judicial system and the workings of the most influential court in the country.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
In a cold, dark building meant to evoke terror and sobriety, exhibits follow the Nazi rise to power, the lives of the Jews confined to ghettos, the horror of "The Final Solution", and in the Daniel's Story exhibit, the experience of a child.
Arlington Wreath Laying Ceremony
4 students will have an opportunity to honor all unknown soldiers by laying a wreath with our schools name at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier while the rest of the group watches the ceremony.
U.S. Capitol Building Tour
A real-life history lesson at the home of the United States Congress, a neoclassical building where laws are made, foreign policies are formed and expenditures are decided upon.
Pentagon Memorial
Dedicated on September 11th, 2008 and located just southwest of the Pentagon building, 184 illuminated benches commemorate the 184 individuals who died in the attack.
WWII Memorial
Based on plans by the winner of a nationwide design contest, this stunning, 56-pillar memorial is dedicated to the Americans who served in World War II.
Lincoln, Vietnam, and Korean War Memorials
Commemorate the 16th president of the United States and the veterans who fought in the Vietnam and Korean wars.
Jefferson, FDR and MLK Memorials
These National Mall monuments commemorate two of our most influential presidents and the civil rights activist who changed our country's social landscape.
Arlington National Cemetery
Filled with the casualties and deceased veterans of American conflicts dating back to the Civil War, this cemetery is home to the Women in Military Services for America Memorial, John F. Kennedy's "eternal flame" and the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall
Explore the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of Air and Space.
National Archives
Discover American history through the documents, photos and records, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
US Marine Corps War Memorial "Iwo Jima"
Depicting the six servicemen who raised the second U.S. flag during the WWII Battle of Iwo Jima, this statue was dedicated to the Marine personnel who've died defending the United States.