E is for Excursions; You'll never guess what I've been up to...

It has been a few days since I have been able to post, but it is for a good reason! D.C. is certainly a city where time can get away from you.  With internship responsibilities and numerous speakers, events, and tourist attractions to visit, my time has been consumed by learning about everything around me.

At the Kids for Ca$h screening!

Last week, I was given the opportunity to screen a documentary about juvenile justice and zero tolerance policies in Pennsylvania.  The film, Kids for Ca$h blew my mind.  From a judge taking advantage of misguided students to a school's discipline policy that certainly did not have its students' best interests in mind, Kids for Ca$h had me thinking about the ethics involved in school discipline.  Upon my return to school, I will be a Hillman Student Intern at the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics for the 2014-15 school year.  As an intern, I will plan events and speakers that will enlighten DePauw students, faculty, and community members about various ethical topics and issues.

After the film, I approached the producer in order to get information about how to have a screening at Prindle (now that you all know, you had better mark your calendars!). The producer, Robert May, was extremely helpful in informing me about how to get the documentary screening for on campus. He even gave me his card in case I had any difficulty! Inspired by my experience and conversations with others that night, I chose to write my "Ethics Statement" for Prindle about zero-tolerance policies and how they are not ethical for childhood development in schools.

Check out my Ethics Statement and my Student Bio on the Prindle Website!

Continuing through the rest of my week, I was star-struck once more when attending a student forum regarding Financial Aid and Affordability for College with Undersecretary Ted Mitchell and the one and only Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan!  During the talk, Arne asked a question to the audience. He asked, "The United States used to be #1 when it came to college degrees...but what is our ranking now?" Stumped? I wasn't! I answered "Twelve!" only to be answered with a reply from the Secretary, "You've been doing your homework!" Yes, my day was pretty much made at that point.

My week of excursions was not quite finished.  On Saturday, I was ready for something fun, and non-internship/DOEd related.  It's always good to get away from all the "office-thinking," and to have some fun. After all, I only had the summer to explore D.C.

With a new friend I had met (who was from Indiana, who would have thought?!) I went to the National Air and Space Museum, which happens to be the most popular museum in the country (and was also free, talk about a lot for a little!).  The feminist in me smiled to see Amelia Earhart's bright red airplane that she used to set some of the first flight records for women.  It was inspiring to read how Orville and Wilbur Wright created their first airplanes (after experimenting with bicycles!), even though Orville didn't actually receive his high school diploma (he took college courses instead of some of his mandatory high school ones...oops?) We walked around the museum and talked about school, work, and everything we saw.  My favorite part, however was getting to see pictures taken by the Mars land rovers Spirit and Opportunity.  There were simulated videos of how the rovers landed and how they moved across unseen territory.  With everything new I was experiencing and seeing in D.C, it was mind-blowing to see pictures of somewhere I would never be able to go and things I would never be able to see.

Pictures of Mars taken
by the Mars rover Spirit!

A really cool sculpture
out in front of Air and Space.
It was a beautiful day!

Amelia Earhart's Plane!

We left the museum after a few hours and headed to The National Mall to explore the park and monuments.  There were so many people, but we decided to walk the entire length of the mall, stopping every now and then to sit and watch everything that was going on.  I even had a bit of time to take a picture with the beautiful Washington Monument! How about that? I'd say this was a successful week for excursions, and I sure hope there are many more in store!

At the Washington Monument! So beautiful (and windy)!