A Newsworthy Outing

Just before that long hiatus otherwise known as Winter Break, half of the ninth grade class visited the Newseum, arguably the most engaging museum DC has to boast. This trip, a counterpart to Law Day, led students on a journey through some of the most newsworthy events of the past century. Students learned the process of collecting, reporting and disseminating news in a vast variety of mediums. They saw the courageous and heartfelt reporting of 9/11 and the revealing reporting used to help law agencies solve crimes. They experienced the evocative photojournalism of events ranging from Hurricana Katrina to Obama's Inaguration.

The students also took a crash course in the rights protected under the First Amendment. They saw how it not only protects abstract and lofty ideas but also aspects relavent to their daily lives. Examining life on the other side of the Berlin Wall, students saw what life could be like without the likes of a First Amendment. To put it bluntly, they did not envy those born behind the iron curtain.

In the end, students were moved by the interactive exhibits and the touching descriptions of events, especially those that they remember from their own lifetimes. Students marveled at the model of the car used by the DC snipers. Many expressed their desire to go back to the museum when they have more than just two hours to explore. They came back to school bragging about their experiences to the other half of the class, who will visit the Newseum at the end of this month. From what I hear, they can't wait.