On May 5th, the eighth-graders of Penn-Trafford School District took the annual field trip to Gettysburg, PA to cap off their middle school careers.
The trip was the culmination of their studies on United States history up until the Civil War. Leaving at 5 am, students from both Penn and Trafford Middle Schools made their way to the site of the bloodiest and arguably most important battle in U.S. history. Students spent the day exploring and discovering the details of the battle and enjoying the over 1,200 different monuments. From Little Round Top to Seminary Ridge, students received a detailed battlefield tour describing the three days in July 1863 that changed the course of American history.
Going a step further, the 8th graders were able to see what life was like for the Gettysburg civilians who would have witnessed this monumental moment from their homes. Touring Civil War period homes in downtown Gettysburg, students heard the stories of ordinary families whose lives would be forever changed.
Returning around 9 pm, students had a full day of learning about the battle of Gettysburg, traversing its hills and boulders, and building lasting memories with teachers and peers.
Ella Mains, Isabella Naglich, Mr. Waszo, Mr. Weir, Gabriella Naglich, and Amber Hackenberg pause for a photo at the Virginia Monument
Some of the Trafford Middle School students at the battlefield
Students of Penn Middle School