SAD 4 seventh- and eighth-graders will be touring Boston during their week of April vacation
Staff Writer
GUILFORD — So far 26 Piscataquis Community Secondary School seventh- and eighth-graders have signed up for a class trip to tour the birthplace of the American Revolution — Boston, Mass. The students will spend three days and two nights in “The Hub” visiting the home of the Pilgrims, seeing where the first shots were fired of the American Revolution along with other cultural and education stops in and around New England’s largest city.
While the trip’s purpose is to enrich the students’ education about the historical sights of the nation, the students seem to be more interested in viewing another icon of the city: Fenway Park.
“I’ve been to Fenway to watch a ball game. I was on top of the Green Monster and I’ve always wanted to know what its like on the inside,” said seventh-grader Cameron Kane.
Like Kane, Bailey Lemieux is another seventh grader who has been to Boston. She hasn’t seen many of the historic scenes that the students will be touring. She is, however, excited about making a return visit to the Boston Museum of Science. Lemieux had visited the museum previously with her Girl Scout troop.
“I’ve been there (Boston) before, but it was a really quick trip,” said Lemieux. “The museum had this playground that was real “sciency.” I want to see it again and spend some more time exploring the exhibits.”
On the tour’s first day, the students will visit Lexington and Concord. The area is also home to great American authors Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott. The students will visit the homes of these notable writers.
After concluding the tour of Lexington, the students will head off to Concord to see the site of one of the earliest battles of the Revolutionary War.
On the second day, the students will travel 36 miles from Boston to Plymouth to view a replica of a village for America’s most famous immigrants — the Pilgrims. The students will also climb abroad the Mayflower II which is a reproduction of the ship used by the Pilgrims in 1620.
The students will return to Boston later in the day to walk the Freedom Trail. Among the sights the students will see are the Boston Common which is America’s oldest public park and the Old Granary Burying Ground which is a historical cemetery that has the remains of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
Other stops along the trail include the site of the original Tea Party — Old South Meeting House — and the Old State House where the Boston Massacre occurred. The students will also visit Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere’s house and the Bunker Hill Memorial.
For Piscataquis Secondary School teacher Rex Webb, the Boston trip provides his students with an educational opportunity which can’t be found in a textbook.
“It’s a chance for them to live, breathe and walk the path of our nation’s history that most students in this area can only read about,” Webb said. “They can experience some sites of the American Revolution, the home of the Pilgrims and the scene of the Salem witch trials. There are also some other fun events which really make it a very exciting opportunity for everyone involved.”
The students will conclude their three-day odyssey with a walking tour of Salem which was the scene of the witch trials in 1692. They will visit the Salem Witch Museum which is housed in a Gothic revival church with 13 tableaus which depicts the trials. The students will also visit the House of the Seven Gables which inspired Hawthorne’s novel.
The students will finish the tour with a stop at the New England Aquarium. The final stop will allow the students to view various waters of the world from Boston Harbor to the Amazon River.
The Boston trip is one of two that Webb organizes to enrich his students’ educational experience. In 2012, the students traveled to Washington, D.C.
During the year, students participate in a series of individual and school sponsored fund-raising activities. The students have held a spaghetti dinner, houseware sale, and a bottle drive in an attempt to raise enough money for the trip.
Webb indicated the trip costs each student $695. He believes the biggest challenge is raising enough money to ensure that all interested students make the trip.
“That’s the struggle each year. Some students are able to afford and other can’t. So we do a lot of fundraising. We are dependent in the community getting involved in the fundraising,” Webb said.
The students are holding a Valentine’s Day raffle to raise money. The grand prize is a basket filled with romantic items such as gift certificates for flowers, a romantic dinner and overnight trip along with other Valentine’s Day gifts. The winning ticket will be drawn on Friday, Feb. 15 at PCSS.
Another fundraiser will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Newport Entertainment Center. The students will be sponsoring a bowl-a-thon.
Webb believes if the funding efforts are successful another nine students could possibly register for the spring trip.