A group of John Kyrle High School students and staff recently returned from a trip of a lifetime to Washington DC and New York. The sixth form students accompanied by RE teachers Kristian Phillips and Nick Wardale packed a huge amount into their one week cultural visit.

On their first full day in the American capital the group enjoyed a tour inside both the White House and the Capitol Building – although the group didn't get to meet President Obama they did see inside some of the areas used during his inauguration ceremony last year. A particular highlight was a look inside the restored Old Senate Chamber which is not seen by all visitors to the Capitol.

Also during the first day the group saw the Pentagon, Supreme Court and spent some time in the Smithsonian focusing particularly on the newly opened Hall of Human Origins. During the evening the group visited the famous Washington memorials and stood on the steps of the Abraham Lincoln memorial at the spot where civil rights leader Martin Luther King gave his famous 'I have a dream' speech.

During the second day in Washington the group spent the morning at the Arlington National Cemetery, the resting place of over 300,000 servicemen and their family members. The students stood in silence to reflect at the Tomb of the Unknowns where a constant vigil is kept by a Sentinel; the group was privileged to witness the changing of the guard. The group also saw the resting place of President John F Kennedy where an eternal flame burns.

The group moved downtown for lunch in central Washington before visiting the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. This provided a sober and thorough exploration of the Holocaust as well as access to a special exhibition entitled 'State of Deception – the Power of Nazi Propaganda.' Before supper the group enjoyed a walk amongst the cherry blossoms surrounding the Washington Monument.

On the next day the group transferred to New York where they were based at the legendary New Yorker Hotel. During the evening they had a whistle-stop night tour of some of the most famous sights including Grand Central Station, Rockefeller Plaza and Times Square.

Over the next two days the group clocked up a large number of foot miles exploring much of Manhattan including Central Park, St Patrick's Cathedral, Wall Street, Ellis Island Immigration Museum and Ground Zero where the group saw the progress made with the building of the new Freedom Tower. On the penultimate evening the group ascended to the 86th floor of the Empire State building which provided far-reaching views of New York. The students and staff also had a blustery visit to the Statue of Liberty and an eye-opening visit to the Museum of Modern Art. Retail highlights included Macy's on West 34th Street and Toys R Us just off Times Square.

Students and staff all agreed they learned a lot during the visit and could not have fit any more into the packed schedule. This was the third time that John Kyrle's RE department has organised a visit to New York but the first time that a visit to Washington DC has been incorporated into the itinerary. The contrast between the two amazing cities made the trip extremely worthwhile and very enjoyable.