June 14, 2018
By Nubia Sanchez, The Eagle newspaper staff
Northeast Texas Community College students and faculty members recently traveled to Washington D.C. as a part of the NTCC Travel Study Course program. Students had the opportunity to tour the nation?s capital while earning college credit hours in history, government, English, and photography courses.
NTCC Government Professor Rex Allen said this year?s travel course to Washington gave students an experience that goes well beyond the classroom.
?When students see these things firsthand and go into the buildings where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are located, it has more of an impact and more of a feeling like they were almost there when it was done,? Allen said. ?It?s better than just hearing about it in the classroom. Students actually see things and can say, ?Hey, that?s the original document, there is the White House where the president lives, and they get to see protestors and other things they wouldn?t see unless they were there.?
The travel study program rotates between cities each year with trips to Washington D.C., Boston and New York. The group will travel to Boston in May 2019 and New York in 2020.
Highlights of this year?s trip included a tour of the Capitol Building hosted by U.S. Congressman Louis Gohmert, a visit to George Washington?s home in Mt. Vernon, tours of the National Archives, the Supreme Court building, Smithsonian museums, the Library of Congress, Arlington Cemetery and many of the historical monuments located throughout the city including the Lincoln and Washington Memorials and the Vietnam Wall.
The trip to D.C. was designed to give students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the historical significance of the nation?s capital.
?There?s so much to see and so much history, and so much of America?s past is here,? NTCC student Rachel Thomas said. ?Seeing how America was built up, and how it has influenced where we are today, and how it will influence where we?re going to be in the future.?
The chance to see George Washington?s Mt. Vernon home was also a special treat for many of the students.
?I really liked a lot of the museums, but I also thought George Washington?s mansion was really interesting,? NTCC student Grayson Sewell said. ?I felt like there was a lot of good history there, and I learned a lot.?
The group also spent some time visiting with Louie Gohmert in his congressional office. The congressman spent close to two hours talking with the students and answering questions they had about the political process.
?It was fantastic,? Allen said. ?Congressman Gohmert was willing to sit down and talk and just be a regular guy. We sat there talking to someone who actually graduated from Mount Pleasant High School who is now a congressman in Washington. He was willing to talk about anything we wanted to talk about.?
Allen said it was a great learning experience for the students to speak with someone who works in the legislature.
?These students need to see who a congressman really is and what they do, not just what they see in the media and read in the newspapers,? Allen said. ?They actually sat there and talked to him† and could then make their own decision about what they thought about that individual. I think it was really great.?
Along with the students doing coursework, the annual trips are also open to other Northeast students, faculty and staff as well as community members who just want to travel with the group without taking classes.
?I recently went on my first travel course with other NTCC faculty and students and had a great time, especially since I was exploring my birthplace of Washington D.C. with others,? Strong said. ? Some had visited our nation's capital before, but it was so refreshing to see it again through the newcomers' eyes.† Rex Allen had a wonderful itinerary plan, so that we were able to discover new gems in a short time frame.†I look forward to next year's trip to Boston.?
Allen said the trips the group takes each year are always both enjoyable and educational.
?I highly recommend that students who are considering visiting any city go on these trips and do some coursework,? he said.† ?It?s very beneficial for them and their futures.?
Northeast Texas Community College students and faculty members recently traveled to Washington D.C. as a part of the NTCC Travel Study Course program. Students had the opportunity to tour the nation?s capital while earning college credit hours in history, government, English, and photography courses.
NTCC Government Professor Rex Allen said this year?s travel course to Washington gave students an experience that goes well beyond the classroom.
?When students see these things firsthand and go into the buildings where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are located, it has more of an impact and more of a feeling like they were almost there when it was done,? Allen said. ?It?s better than just hearing about it in the classroom. Students actually see things and can say, ?Hey, that?s the original document, there is the White House where the president lives, and they get to see protestors and other things they wouldn?t see unless they were there.?
The travel study program rotates between cities each year with trips to Washington D.C., Boston and New York. The group will travel to Boston in May 2019 and New York in 2020.
Highlights of this year?s trip included a tour of the Capitol Building hosted by U.S. Congressman Louis Gohmert, a visit to George Washington?s home in Mt. Vernon, tours of the National Archives, the Supreme Court building, Smithsonian museums, the Library of Congress, Arlington Cemetery and many of the historical monuments located throughout the city including the Lincoln and Washington Memorials and the Vietnam Wall.
The trip to D.C. was designed to give students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the historical significance of the nation?s capital.
?There?s so much to see and so much history, and so much of America?s past is here,? NTCC student Rachel Thomas said. ?Seeing how America was built up, and how it has influenced where we are today, and how it will influence where we?re going to be in the future.?
The chance to see George Washington?s Mt. Vernon home was also a special treat for many of the students.
?I really liked a lot of the museums, but I also thought George Washington?s mansion was really interesting,? NTCC student Grayson Sewell said. ?I felt like there was a lot of good history there, and I learned a lot.?
The group also spent some time visiting with Louie Gohmert in his congressional office. The congressman spent close to two hours talking with the students and answering questions they had about the political process.
?It was fantastic,? Allen said. ?Congressman Gohmert was willing to sit down and talk and just be a regular guy. We sat there talking to someone who actually graduated from Mount Pleasant High School who is now a congressman in Washington. He was willing to talk about anything we wanted to talk about.?
Allen said it was a great learning experience for the students to speak with someone who works in the legislature.
?These students need to see who a congressman really is and what they do, not just what they see in the media and read in the newspapers,? Allen said. ?They actually sat there and talked to him† and could then make their own decision about what they thought about that individual. I think it was really great.?
Along with the students doing coursework, the annual trips are also open to other Northeast students, faculty and staff as well as community members who just want to travel with the group without taking classes.
?I recently went on my first travel course with other NTCC faculty and students and had a great time, especially since I was exploring my birthplace of Washington D.C. with others,? Strong said. ? Some had visited our nation's capital before, but it was so refreshing to see it again through the newcomers' eyes.† Rex Allen had a wonderful itinerary plan, so that we were able to discover new gems in a short time frame.†I look forward to next year's trip to Boston.?
Allen said the trips the group takes each year are always both enjoyable and educational.
?I highly recommend that students who are considering visiting any city go on these trips and do some coursework,? he said.† ?It?s very beneficial for them and their futures.?
