Local Students Headed to Washington D.C.

Eighth graders in Oceanside will witness inauguration

Concentrating in class is more difficult than usual for nearly two dozen eighth graders in Oceanside.

The eighth grade class at St. Mary's By The Sea is just days away from witnessing the historic swearing in of President Barack Obama.

Nick Winicki can't wait.

"When my kids are looking through history books , and they get to the part where the first man of color was elected president, I can tell them I was there, " said Winicki during Social Studies class Wednesday afternoon.

The students' teacher, Rose Navarro Anderson, organized the trip through Worldstrides, an educational tour company.  The trip to the nation's capitol is an annual event for the eighth graders, but this year instead of learning about American history, they will be a part of it.

" I want them to appreciate who they are as Americans, to be proud of who their president  is, to be good citizens and to know they can grow up to be whatever they want, " explained Navarro-Anderson.

Students at the private Catholic school raised money through bake sales to help pay for their trip. They leave Saturday morning.

" We were all so excited we were all kind of screaming and just overjoyed that we were going to be part of this great moment in history, " said 14-year-old  Josie Hanson.

Most say this will also be their first trip to our nation's capitol.

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