Article compiled by Margaret Hopper

All photos are Courtesy Photos from Katrina Bustillos

La Plata teachers Katrina Bustillos and Tammy Cross and elementary teacher Karyn Little turned the federal inauguration event of January 20 into an assignment and more. Seven students from La Plata and seven high school students, with the three teacher/chaperones and four parents, made the trip to Washington D. C., taking a week to complete the adventure.

Bustillos wrote: GǣOur tour was scheduled from January 18 through 22, with the inauguration being the highlight of our adventure. We left for D.C. via Albuquerque on January 16. Our tour started on Jan. 17, with a travel day that started early, a 6:15 flight out of Albuquerque; we had a super-quick layover at Atlanta, then reached D.C. around 2:00 p.m. (EST). We stayed in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

GǣOur Middle School students were India Moreno, Maleah Diaz, Ashley Richey, Lillith Harsh-Cipares, Rachel Windsor, Jacob Maciel and Sammy Medina. The high school students were Steven Cross, Everett Tester, Zoe Bennett, Jadelyn Gutierrez, Kief Gonzales, Jordyn Terrazas and Cole Rogers. The four parents of students were Dr. Michelle Diaz, Sam Medina, Brooke Palmer and Misael Maciel.

GǣJanuary 18 was a busy day. We spent time at several Smithsonian museums. At the Air Space museum, the students saw the Spirit of St. Louis. At another, they saw the Native American history they were taught in school, realizing that GǣAmericaGǥ is a broader term that includes both North and South America. In the Natural History Museum, they were able to see the Hope Diamond and view the elephant exhibits.

GǣAlso on this day, we spent time at the National Archives Building where we all saw the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. These three documents were indeed awesome. To be able to see the actual documents that are the foundation of our country was absolutely amazing; each student and adult was just awed.

GǣLater that evening, we walked past FordG

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