On Monday, April 11, the Classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013 boarded a school bus with their teachers and chaperones and headed for Philadelphia. They arrived at the visitor center ready for a fun and informational day.

They began their day by boarding a double-decker bus for a tour of the city. They saw many landmarks makes Philadelphia famous, including St Mary’s Cathedral, the house of Betsy Ross, and the famous “Rocky” stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum. They also saw the Eastern State Penitentiary that housed the infamous Al Capone, as well as beautiful City Hall. Along the way they heard many stories related to all of the sites.

After the tour the group quickly made their way over to Independence Hall where they were given a guided tour by a park ranger. He explained what events happened in each room that led to the birth of our country. Upon completion almost everyone was very hungry, so lunch was next.

After lunch the U. S. mint was the next destination. Here they were given a taste of out national security rules when they had to empty pockets and go through metal detectors. Adults in the group had to show a valid identification. Students then walked through halls showed how coins were made. They were able to look down through glass windows to see pennies and other coins being produced.

The day continued with a quick trip to the place Benjamin Franklin was buried and then on to the Liberty Bell. After those visits they finally boarded the bus for the long trip back home. Everyone arrived back home tired, yet happy. Some of the chaperones have said that they plan on returning to Philadelphia with their families this summer.