Overview:
Planning a field trip has the ability to teach something that can stay with you for twenty years. Planning a field trip has the ability to teach something that can stay with you for twenty years.
My classroom is full of treasures. Pictures from years past, drawings from students who wanted to leave me with a piece of their creativity, and a big red button labeled Do Not Push – because, let’s be honest, I had to know which kid was willing to risk it all.
But the most important thing in my classroom is the American flag. I remind my students that the flag represents hope, heartache, and sacrifice. Thousands upon thousands of men and women fought for the rights my students have – the right to be educated, to have a voice, to live freely. And while I love a good joke, they know the flag is not a punchline. They respect it because they understand what it means.
Back in 2005, the stars aligned, the paperwork was approved, and I somehow convinced enough parents that taking a bunch of fifth graders on a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., was a good idea. Planning a trip like that is both a blessing and a logistical nightmare. I have a rule: you don’t go somewhere until you know what you’re seeing. You want to go to a Tigers game? Great. You better know the lineup, batting averages, and how to keep score. If you’re going to D.C., you better know your history. So, my students spent months researching everything from the Lincoln Memorial to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They also studied six Cheboygan soldiers—Leroy H. Charboneau, Robert W. O’Donnell, David T. Connors, John Veihl, Steven B. LaVigne, and Richard Blaskowski – because history isn’t just something in textbooks; it’s something that connects to us.
By the time we arrived, they were ready. When we visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at night, the kids walked along the wall, whispering, reading names, and taking in the letters and pictures left by those mourning. Then, a group of high schoolers arrived. Loud. Obnoxious. Clueless.
One of them shouted, “What is this place?”
Before I could react, one of my quietest students turned, looked up at the towering teenager, and said, “This is a sacred monument where 58,276 names are listed – men and women who died or went missing in action during the Vietnam War. They sacrificed their lives, so I suggest you show them some respect.”
The high schooler, caught completely off guard, mumbled something and walked away, thoroughly put in his place by a ten-year-old. And I swear – I can’t prove it – but I’m pretty sure she whispered, “You ass.”
And you know what? I wasn’t even mad.
That little girl got it. She understood why we had a flag in our classroom. She understood why we honor those who serve. She understood that history isn’t just about dates and facts – it’s about people. And as my students quietly found the names of the six Cheboygan soldiers on the wall, I saw them realize something: they were connected to history in a way they never expected.
This year marks twenty years since that trip. And looking back, I realize that while I took my students to learn, I never expected that they’d also be the ones teaching.
Eric Hall and his students have been featured on different national outlets including The Ellen DeGeneres Show. While the accolades are nice, Eric will tell you his greatest rewards come in the form of high-fives in the hallway, students who finally “get it”, and the joy of watching kids realize they are capable of more than they ever imagined.
