Middle School Trips

Students from all three grades at the Middle School took a well deserved break from their studies recently to enjoy trips to Albany, New York City and Philadelphia.

The sixth-grade’s class first stop on their Albany tour began at the New York State Museum, where they saw several exhibits, including the history of the state’s various Indian tribes, the area’s mineral deposits and a visual of New York City. They also took a tour of the New York State Capitol Building. Highlights of the tour included the Million Dollar Staircase, the senate floor, and a visit from New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. The group was particularly amazed by the hand carved stone, as well as the gold leafed walls in the senate. To round out the day, the students were treated to a tour of the U.S.S. Slater by a World War II Navy veteran.

Madame Tussauds New York Wax Museum was undoubtedly the highlight of the seventh grade’s trip to Manhattan. The museum features incredibly realistic renditions of historical figures, celebrities, athletes, and pop stars. “Many students had trouble believing the wax figures were real until they poked at their faces,” said instructor Brendan Byrne, who was one of several chaperones accompanying the group.

Many students had their picture taken with their favorite celebrities, including Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, Julia Roberts, and Oprah Winfrey. The highlight of the visit was when Ben Longson discovered a statue of his long lost relative Buffalo Bill, a fact he had previously mentioned in class, much to the disbelief of his fellow students. “After seeing Ben side by side next to the Buffalo Bill statue, one would be hard-pressed to deny the eerie resemblance,” said Mr. Byrne.

At Yankee Stadium, the students made their way to their upper decks seats, where they watched the Yankees defeat the Cleveland Indians 6-3. For many students, it was both their first trip to the stadium, and possibly their last. “I’ll always remember my first trip to a Yankee game because it was with my classmates,” reflected Emily Tsu. Even Met fan Philip Bowers noted, “I may not be a Yankee fan, but there’s definitely something special about this place”.

No trip to Philadelphia would have been complete without a visit to the Franklin Museum, where students and teachers experienced many of the inventions discovered by Benjamin Franklin and by the scientists who followed in his footsteps. Students raced through the 15-foot model of the heart, reenacting the path of blood learned in science class, and afterwards marveled at being allowed to sit in a retired Air Force plane and trying the 3-D air flight simulator.

The group also took a guided walking tour of historic Philadelphia, visiting the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, The Betsy Ross House, and Franklin’s burial site.