[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8541-8542]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING HERITAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT ESSAYS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2012

  Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, eighth grade students from 
Heritage Middle School in Maryville, Tennessee, recently visited 
Washington, DC.
  Our office gave the students and chaperones a tour of the Capitol, 
and I received a very nice thank you letter from trip coordinator 
Patricia Russell and principal Steve Moser.
  Along with the thank you note, I was also sent the enclosed four 
essays from some of the students on the trip. I was so impressed with 
these essays that I wanted them to be included in the Congressional 
Record.
  I hope my Colleagues and other readers of the Record will take a few 
minutes to read the impressions of these 8th grade students about our 
Nation's Capital.

                        My American Appreciation

                            (By Anna Stout)

       ``In a mountain of despair, there is a stone of hope,'' 
     said Martin Luther King Jr. I read this quote from the Martin 
     Luther King Jr. memorial. This was one of the most 
     significant moments on the whole Washington D.C. trip for me. 
     The trip to D.C. changed my whole of life. I use to take 
     every little thing for granted, like eating and the things I 
     owned. Going to the Holocaust Museum, the Lincoln memorial, 
     and the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial all increased my 
     appreciation for my American heritage.
       The Holocaust Museum was probably the saddest, most moving 
     thing I've ever experienced. When you read about what 
     happened in books or on the internet you don't really 
     understand what happened. You kind of just think ``yeah 
     that's awful, hope it doesn't ever happen again'' but when 
     you see with your own eyes the actual happenings of what 
     Holocaust, it changes you forever. When I walked into the 
     room, and saw hundreds of pairs of shoes, I went into shock. 
     I just stood there and looked at how many there were. It took 
     me a few minutes before I started to look at the individual 
     shoes, the baby shoes, the shoes that were my size, and the 
     shoes that were bigger than my own foot. I was in such shock 
     it took me at least 5 minutes to move, and 10 to stop staring 
     at them all. That change how I look at everything. How I get 
     mad over having ``nothing to wear'' and they wore rags. Now 
     everything I do, a part of the Holocaust is in my thoughts.
       I really liked the Lincoln memorial because Lincoln really 
     fought to keep our Nation together and without that, things 
     today would be way different. Most of us probably would even 
     be here. I use to think that Lincoln started the war to free 
     all the slaves, when really he started the war to keep our 
     united states together. Personally I think he was one of the 
     most successful, helpful presidents ever. And Im glad that 
     there is a memorial built in his honor. To remind the 
     generations to come, about all he did.
       Last but not least, the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. I 
     really enjoyed going to this memorial, because I have a lot 
     of respect for Martin Luther King. I think what he did for 
     our nation was an amazing, and very brave thing. He stood up 
     and fought for what he believed in, but he did it peacefully. 
     That sets an amazing example for the people of our time. To 
     not have to use guns and war to solve things is a great 
     accomplishment. ``In a mountain of despair, there is a stone 
     of hope.''--Martin Luther King Jr. I didn't quite get this at 
     first, until I started to think about it. What King means is, 
     the there is always a little bit of hope, even if the problem 
     is huge. To always cling to that piece of hope, and you will 
     overcome the problem.
       Some of the reasons my appreciation for my American 
     heritage has increased is because of the Holocaust Museum, 
     the Lincoln Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Jr. 
     memorial. I am deeply grateful for being able to go on this 
     trip. I am so thankful for everyone that has done something 
     for our country, not just the things listed above. Without 
     these people and these events, we would not be here, and we 
     would not be America. Thank you everyone.

                         Washington D.C. Essay

                           (By Chloe Atchley)

       `We the People of the United States . . .' Thomas Jefferson 
     wrote. I believe that as a citizen of the United States, we 
     should have pride in our country. On my trip to Washington 
     D.C., I grew a new appreciation and curiosity for my great 
     Nation. Three places I was able to visit that helped my 
     respect grow were the Arlington National Cemetery, the 
     Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial.
       The first place that helped me appreciate my Nation more 
     was the Arlington National Cemetery. In my opinion, what 
     shocked me the most was just how many graves there were. They 
     lined the fields and area for miles. Every single one of 
     those people served my country. Some of them died and 
     sacrificed themselves for it. This cemetery did a wonderful 
     job honoring those people, those heroes.
       The second place that helped me appreciate my Nation more 
     was the Vietnam's Veteran Memorial. When I saw it, it was 
     dark, and I couldn't see how long it was. Walking along 
     beside it, I was surprised to find that it kept on going on 
     with me. There are 58,272 names on the wall today. It gave me 
     pride to be American knowing that every last one of those 
     people did their best to protect us and help others.
       The last place that helped me appreciate my country more 
     was the Jefferson Memorial. Out of everything I saw and 
     visited, this was definitely one of my favorites. It was 
     quiet, peaceful, and reflective, just like how I think Thomas 
     Jefferson would have liked it. The sun was setting, and 
     reflected on the walls of the little dome beautifully. It 
     illuminated the excerpts from the Declaration of Independence 
     that were engraved everywhere. It was a reminder of how we 
     originally fought for our freedom, and of how my home began.
       These are some of the places that increased my appreciation 
     for my American heritage. This trip was one of the best 
     experiences I have ever had. I hope everyone can stop to 
     remember the sacrifices made and the struggles conquered 
     through our history, and hold their head higher in 
     remembrance that they are an American.

                          Washington, DC Essay

                           (By Callie Effler)

       Very few places make one more proud to be an American than 
     Washington, DC. I saw very many things in our nation's 
     capitol that I will remember for the rest of my life, but 
     several stuck out that made me feel even more blessed than I 
     already do to live in

[[Page 8542]]

     America. Three things and places in particular that made me 
     especially appreciate my American heritage were the Vietnam 
     Veterans' Memorial, the National Archives, and the flag that 
     inspired the Star Spangled Banner.
       All of the monuments were breathtakingly beautiful, but the 
     Vietnam Veterans' Memorial didn't catch my eye for that 
     reason--it was that it had so many names. 58,795 brave men 
     and women were willing to pay the ultimate price to preserve 
     the freedom and safety that so many of us take for granted 
     today. These soldiers, nurses, and others who gave their 
     lives so that we in the United States and those in other 
     countries could be free are true heroes.
       Another thing that made me prize my American heritage was 
     the National Archives. There, we saw many documents including 
     the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It made 
     me feel honored to have the opportunity to see the documents 
     that shaped our past, which led to my present, and will lead 
     to our future. In my opinion, these are some of the most 
     important documents in the world. They led to changes in not 
     only our country, but others as well.
       Lastly, the flag that inspired our national anthem was the 
     most amazing thing I saw in Washington. I couldn't believe 
     that such a massive flag could even be made! It's colossal 
     size was accomplished by a woman and several teenage girls. 
     They made a flag--by hand--that survived battle and sparked a 
     poem that is now one of the most recognizable tunes in 
     history. Even then, Americans were making great things, both 
     physical items and ideas.
       The Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, National Archives, and the 
     Star-Spangled Banner are only three of the things I saw in 
     Washington, DC, that made me proud of my American heritage. I 
     think that everyone should have the opportunity to see the 
     things from the past that shaped their future. I will never 
     forget my 8th grade field trip, and will cherish all of the 
     things that make our country great.

                            Washington D.C.

                          (By Madison Jacobs)

       Washington D.C. is located between Virginia and Maryland in 
     the District of Columbia. I believe that it is important to 
     know about your countries history in order to be able to do 
     the basic things adults do. This experience was breathtaking 
     and intriguing. I have learned several things while on this 
     trip but the three places that taught me a lot was The 
     National Archives, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Holocaust 
     Museum.
       My first place visited that I really enjoyed and learned a 
     lot from was the National Archives. This acquaintance was 
     both enticing and captivating. Seeing the Declaration of 
     Independence, The Constitution, and the Bill of Rights I felt 
     astonished and proud to live in this country. It is 
     incredible to see that in 200 years these documents are still 
     around and we go by them today. I especially enjoyed looking 
     at all of the documents written so long ago.
       The second place visited that I enjoyed and learned from 
     was the Vietnam Memorial. It gave me great pride in my 
     country but also at the same time it made me feel sad that 
     all of these wonderful men; fathers, sons, husbands, and 
     brothers lost their lives. This war lasted for 16 years. 
     During these years 58,000 people died fighting so that we 
     could all be free and giving their life for ours. The Vietnam 
     Memorial was very humbling to me. My lasting impression is 
     that I will always respect and honor those who fight and die 
     for our country.
       My third place I visited that I learned from was the 
     Holocaust Museum. The Holocaust was a mass killing of Jews 
     and other civilians. The factors that contributed to this 
     were anti-Semitism and the rise of the Nazis. My most vivid 
     thing that I will always remember is the room with all of the 
     Jewish people's shoes. Also the smell of the shoes from the 
     leather was horrible. This will always stay in the back of my 
     mind. The Holocaust Museum really touched me with the fact 
     that millions of people died who were innocent and died for 
     what they believed in.
       The National Archives, The Vietnam Memorial, and The 
     Holocaust Museum were the three places that we went to that 
     touched me the most. These places have affected our nation's 
     history in many different ways and they represent what 
     Americans are and what we stand for. I really enjoyed this 
     trio and would like to go back one day in the near future.

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