A visit to the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas was Wednesday’s classroom for seniors enrolled in AP United States Government and Politics.
“During the visit, students will explore the Freedom Matters exhibit, which uses rare artifacts, historical documents, interactive activities, and personal perspectives to examine the concept of freedom,” teacher Amanda Peters said. “The exhibit delves into the origins of freedom, its meaning, the characteristics of free societies, and the vital role individuals play in safeguarding and advancing liberty across the globe.”
For senior Michelle Quan, having an opportunity to interact with government foundations and explore American democracy was a nice break from classroom learning.
“I feel like a lot of the time we just sit there and talk or sit there and read about these documents, so physically going to this center and getting more information was really interesting,” Quan said. “I love going on field trips just to get a break from everyday routines but this trip was actually very fun and I think I learned a lot.”
Applying the constitution is a key part of the government curriculum, and senior Sophia Hung felt she got to grasp more specific examples.
“Going into the field trip I didn’t really know much about President Bush,” Hung said. “Coming out of it, I now know that he literally had so much happen during his presidency. From 9/11 to the financial crisis, we got to go through all of these simulations that made it seem like we were President Bush and it even talked us through about all the decisions he made and how the constitution played a part.”
As the year comes to a close, this trip was the last school excursion for many seniors like Quan. For these seniors the trip was a but more memorable than others.
“While we were coming back on the bus it hit me that this was the last field trip I was ever going to have and it made me a little sad,” Quan said. “This trip was really fun and enjoyable, honestly a really good one to finish off high school.”
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Students started off the tour by looking at artifacts and gifts from foreign countries. This silver and diamond necklace was a part of the European and Russian case.
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The eagle is the symbol of freedom in the United States and a bronze statue is showcased at the Presidential center.
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The frame is made from a window and the painting was done by a soldier in Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. The subject shows the attack on women’s education.
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Shown are seniors Matthew Hung and John Fu who sit in a replica of a briefing room while making decisions on Hurricane Katrina. Should the invoke the Insurrection Act?
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Seniors Sharon Chou and Angie Fei look around the exhibit of events during President George W. Bush’s presidency.
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Gathered around a visuals board, Avishi Singh and John Fu explore the President’s decisions on the War on Terrorism.
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Students enrolled in AP United States Government and Politics visited the George W. Bush Presidential Library to learn more about democracy and the executive branch of the government.
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Students had the opportunity to take photos behind the replica of the presidential desk in the replica of the Oval Office. Pictured is senior Christine Han.
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Students learned about pork barrel-spending in class, and their mascot, John Pork, accompanied them on the trip.
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Educated on education. The No Child Left Behind Act was one of the most notable events during Bush’s presidency and students recall writing FRQ’s on the topic.
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