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Members of AF High School Student Council go to Washington DC for Inauguration March 13, 2017, 10:50 am"The purpose of the trip was for students to learn first-hand leadership lessons through seeing how our government works. It was also a great opportunity for our students to bond and learn together about various cultures, historical topics, religions and lifestyles," said Jessica Berry, one of the student council advisors. Being on the trip opened sophomore Spirit Council Member Bronson Horne's eyes to the cultural diversity that our nation has. "Being in a different environment with so many different cultures around me, I learned about others and that there is so much out there that is so different from here in Utah County. One thing that I have learned that will help me be a better student council officer is how to really reach out to others and always be myself in situations." Their trip began on January 15 in New York City where the American Fork High School group got to see the 911 Memorial Museum, the Holocaust Museum, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and the Empire State Building. They then drove to Washington D.C. where they were able to attend the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, the Smithsonian Museums, toured the U.S. Capitol, saw the Jefferson Memorial, the National Mall and the Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery. They even got to witness the Women's March at the National Mall in D.C after the inauguration. "Something I think we all gained from the trip was appreciation for our country. We were able to see and learn about how Congress operates and witness the transition of power," says Berry. Horne said he will never forget their trip and everything they saw and experienced. "I will always remember being a part of history as our nation's new president got sworn into office. We all had a very moving experience at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, and as well at the Holocaust Museum. We all walked in those museums and were all silent. For me, I was very grateful for this country and the freedoms we have." According to Emma Tovey, student council designer, one of the things she learned on the trip was how the U.S. Government works. "It takes a lot of teamwork and dedication to make the nation run smoothly, just like it takes these same things to run a school. We always hear these things, but now we have actually seen them in action and can use the examples we observed and effectively use them in our school." This trip has been in the planning stage for a year. In the meantime, there was a lot of preparing and fundraising to earn money for the trip. These students earned money by washing trash cans in the community, selling Lehi Roller Mills products and doing other jobs to earn enough money. On January 21, returning home to American Fork, these eighteen students who lead American Fork High School, now have a greater perspective on what it takes to lead a nation. The community news source for Eagle Mountain Utah, Saratoga Springs Utah, Lehi Utah, American Fork Utah, Highland Utah, Alpine Utah, and The Cedar Valley, including Cedar Fort Utah and Fairfield Utah. Copyright 2024 The Crossroads Journal LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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