Grade 11 Goes to Washington

This year the School is undertaking a range of initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of the pandemic, and the recent Grade 11 group overnight trip to Washington DC is one such example. This one-time trip was planned and fully funded by the School because these students missed their Grade 9 trip, an important US experience.

As a history teacher with extensive student life experience, Head of Upper School Blair Parker was well positioned to lead the trip, in partnership with the History Department. The trip was designed to allow for as much self-selection as possible and to go beyond Advisories that defined students’ pandemic experiences. Blair explains, “Students were able to choose some museums and performances of greatest interest, to be with their friends and to make new ones.” Students visited a range of museums including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the United States Holocaust Museum.

A highlight of the trip included a visit to Sidwell Friends, where they were hosted by Mamadou Guéye, who leads the Upper School and is a former colleague of Bo Lauder’s. Blair comments, “It was special to attend Meeting for Worship with Sidwell’s students, faculty and staff.”