The eighth-graders of Penn-Trafford School District took the annual field trip to Gettysburg, PA on Thursday, May 4th 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 Devil’s Den 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.
The Penn Middle School students gather at the Virginia Monument
Gathered at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial are Trafford students (front) Sydney Gill, Ava Cafaro, Teresa Fiori, and Josie Schubert, (back) Charlie Thomas, Adele Lee, Ryleigh Susalla, and Haleigh Weagraff
Penn Middle students Andy Baker, Josh Noble, Alex Haas, Collin Dransart, Scotty Clark, and Paul Pierce in front of the John Reynolds Monument