Cook County students prepare for spring break trip to Washington D.C.
At the end of March, during spring break, 25 Cook County students will travel to Washington, D.C., to tour historical landmarks and learn about the U.S. government and democracy.
Melanie Olsen, the middle school social studies teacher at Cook County Schools ISD 166, said the trip is a “rite of passage” for the students. Olsen, one of the organizers and chaperons of the spring break trip, is collaborating with a travel company that specializes in designing Washington D.C. field trips with a curriculum-focused approach.
The Washington D.C. trip will include a tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Capitol Hill, and other historical sites and provide an opportunity for the students to speak with legislators about issues they believe are important.
“I think it’s just really important for kids to have some United States travel and get to see our nation’s Capital,” Olsen said.
The 25 students are 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. Olsen said the cost of the trip per student is $2000. To prepare for the trip, many students have started fundraising and working weekend volunteer hours at the thrift store Odds & Endz in Grand Marais.
In addition, Olsen and the students are hosting a pizza sale fundraiser. The pizzas are from Kettle River, an Askov, Minn., based company. The public can pre-order a pizza by Jan. 7, and a portion of the proceeds will go toward the students’ overall travel costs, including the cost of a bus to and from the Twin Cities. Pickup of the pizzas will be on Jan. 21 near the football field at Cook County Schools.
Olsen said she is grateful for the community support she and the students have already received for the upcoming trip. “I just wanted to say thank you to anyone that has already thrown support our way,” she said. “There’s been a lot of support, and I very much appreciate all of the support the community has given.”
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Melanie Olsen, the organizer and one of the upcoming spring break trip chaperons to Washington, D.C., about what the trip entails, what the students will learn, and the fundraiser. The audio from the interview is below.
Kalli Hawkins January 6, 2025
