On February 1st, we took our first flying trip of the year! We flew to visit Alabama and Georgia. The purpose of this trip was to learn all about the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, and that purpose was definitely achieved.
On day two, we got the opportunity to hike Kennesaw Mountain. Here, we stepped into the shoes of what the battle was like, and Vonn Smith even got to try on some of a soldier's battle gear! With the wonderful tour by Kathy, Jake, and Jacob, we learned more than a textbook could teach about this battle. We also visited the museum for civic and human rights. Here, we enjoyed an interactive experience of taking quizzes, discussing topics, and listening to stories. Following a long day of learning, we headed home to make tacos, broccoli, and the famous carrots.
Day three was busy! We started with visiting the Atlanta History Center, where we saw a beautiful cyclorama and a stunning house. Afterward, we headed to the MLK National Park and visited the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Ending our day, we visited Stone Mountain and had a wonderful hike.
On day four, we woke up bright and early and started our journey to Montgomery, Alabama. We got to visit the Legacy Museum created by the Equal Justice Initiative. Here, we explored the stories and famous moments during the civil rights movement. We got to watch many short videos on stories like Emmit Till and many others. This truly opened our eyes to the battles of slavery and what people endured to get where we are in history today. After this museum, we took a boat to the Freedom Monument sculpture park. This is another part of The EJI’s work, and wow, it was powerful. We walked silently through various art pieces, from sculptures to the wall of names. This park was a highlight of the trip for many. After, we drove through a cemetery as well as by a church and the capital. And we ended our night with yummy tacos once again.
Day five, we drove to Birmingham, Alabama. While in Birmingham, we visited the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. At this museum, we furthered our knowledge of the civil rights movement and the freedom riders. Afterwards, we ate a delicious lunch at Yo Mama’s. We will never forget how kind the staff was. After filling our stomachs, we headed to the 16th Street Baptist Church. Here, we learned about the four little girls who were killed during the bombing, and two other boys who were also killed on that same day. We ended our day with foosball and delicious pesto pasta.
The end of our trip came much too soon. Although this trip was packed with learning, we had fun playing foosball, the license plate game, and listening to La Raza and L Taxi. Early in the morning, we packed up and headed to the Atlanta airport. We arrived and flew back to Traverse City. Thank you to our wonderful teachers for giving us this amazing experience.