Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Ontonagon students attend Trump inauguration

ONTONAGON - Twenty-one Ontonagon Area High School students were among those who attended last week's inauguration of President Donald Trump in Washington D.C.

Besides attending the inauguration, the group also visited many sites around the capital city.

Along with two chaperones, the group left Ontonagon Jan. 17 and drove all night, arriving in Arlington, Va., around 1 p.m. the next day. They picked up their tour guide and visited Arlington National Cemetery. 

"We did not get a chance to tour the entire grounds, as it is 700 acres in size with approximately 400,000 people buried there," said teacher and chaperone Tim Nelson. "We saw the grave sites of Joe Louis, President Kennedy and his wife and countless others. It was a very humbling experience to say the least.

"We also had the opportunity to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the changing of the guard ceremony."

On Thursday, the students toured the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the Pentagon Memorial, the Air Force Memorial and the home of George Washington at Mt. Vernon.

"While at Mount Vernon, we were able to see the caskets that hold the remains of George and Martha Washington," said Nelson. "They also have a museum on the grounds that had many of the articles that belonged to the Washingtons. We were able to see George's dentures, his spy glass, military uniforms and much more."

Friday, inauguration day, began with a 4 a.m. wake-up call. After breakfast, they hopped on the train into D.C.

"We stood in line for an hour or so waiting to get into the National Mall to see the inauguration. None of us had ever been a part of such a large group of people," said Nelson, who estimated they were three-eighths of a mile away from the action.

"We had to watch it on the jumbo-trons as the ceremony wasn't close enough for us to see," said Nelson. "Despite the distance, it was a very special experience to be a part of history."

After the inauguration, the students visited the Museum of American History and then headed back to the hotel.

"The hotel had an inaugural ball for the kids. We enjoyed a delicious meal and the kids were able to dance afterwards and many had fun using the picture booth they had for them," Nelson said.

Saturday was another busy day, starting with taking pictures in front of the White House, and then visits to the Vietnam War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Washington Monument and finally the Air and Space Museum.

The walk to the final museum took longer than expected as they encountered the Women's March on Washington.

"It was estimated that 500,000 people were participating in the march. We were literally stuck in people for a period of time with absolutely nowhere to go. We were stuck in people," said Nelson.

After checking out the museum, the group went to a mall near the Pentagon to do a little shopping and have dinner, before getting on the bus for an overnight drive back to Ontonagon.

"This trip was an awesome experience for our students," said Nelson. "Greg Betcher and I enjoyed the trip and being with a wonderful bunch of students. I am grateful that I experienced this firsthand and did so with a great bunch of students. 

"This is an experience none of us will ever forget. I am already talking to younger students who may be interested in doing this again in four years."

 
 
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