East Troy Middle School students visit nation’s capitol
By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
Project-based learning is one of the East Troy School District’s initiatives to reach students in new an innovative ways to allow the kids to explore the world they live in and overcome challenges to enhance real-world problem solving.
East Troy Middle School math and robotics teacher Gary Lilla recently put those ideals into practice when he, along with chaperones, took 56 kids from the school on a trip to Washington, D.C., over the spring break last week.
“This is the second time we have gone on the trip to Washington D.C.,” said Lilla. “We started back in 2012 and decided to make it a trip every other year, inviting all seventh- and eighth-graders. That way every student would have the opportunity to go during one of those years. We decided to go on alternate years because of the size of our classes.”
Teachers Eric Sulik, sixth-grade social studies; Amanda Kimball, sixth-grade math and robotics and art teacher Nicole Tentoni accompanied the group as chaperones. The students left early in the morning on April 22 and returned the afternoon of April 25. During the trip, the kids were able to visit 28 different sites, including the White House, Capitol building, three Smithsonian museums, six memorials, three monuments, Mount Vernon, the National Cathedral and Arlington Cemetery.
“Since the students have studied American Government in social studies class, this gives them a chance to bring their text books to life. They memories and information they get will be a life long memory,” said Lilla.
