2024 Senior Trip to Washington D.C. – Day Five

Great Hearts Academies March 8, 2024

Students inside the White House

It is Senior Trip time at Great Hearts where seniors throughout our academies have the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital and see the historical places and context for so many of their discussions regarding human nature, freedom, liberty, justice, and many other ideals and virtues.

“[This trip is] living out the love of community and conversation- students share this experience together. The focus is not simply for a personal experience connected to history or travel, but a communal experience has been one of sharing time, energy, food, and conversation. This trip means nothing apart from community and friendship,” explained Kyle Navarrette, Headmaster at Glendale Prep.

Follow one senior, Jackie Wang, as she gives us a daily peek at some of the amazing sites they will experience this week through her eyes and in her own words.


Senior blogger for senior trip to Washington DC
Thursday, March 7th
Written by Jackie Wang, Great Hearts Senior

This morning started with a trip to the White House. We split up into two groups and went through four security check points until we finally made it into the executive mansion. We saw the rich history of the presidency in front of our eyes, including collections of fine china, beautiful dining rooms, and intricate crown molding.

Students entering the White House for a tour

Interior of the White House

Side Note: Jackie mentioned that they were at the White House on the same day as the President’s State of the Union Address. While Jackie noted that there seemed to be a lot of security, she didn’t know if that was more than usual or not.

Builidings in Georgetown

After our tour, we had a little bit of free time to organize ourselves for the afternoon trip to Georgetown. We rode the metro there and had a lunch reservation at an Italian restaurant, Filomena Ristorante. The portions were massive, and the food was delicious. They were very accommodating for a party of our size. On top of that, the decor of the restaurant looked like an old-world tavern blew up and an architect put an easter celebration band aid on top to cover the damage. The clash of easter bunnies and dark wood made the ambience undeniably unique.

Students at Filomena - an Italian restaurant in Georgetown

Afterwards, we had more free time to explore Georgetown and its eclectic shopping and atmosphere. Including bookstores, coffee shops, and retail.

All students left Georgetown around 5:30 and had the rest of the night to explore, eat, and enjoy our last night in DC together.

Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts?  Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org.

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