Form II Finds History and Connection in the Nation’s Capital

For three days in March, Form II students traveled to Washington, DC for one of the defining experiences of their 8th grade year. By visiting many of the capital’s monuments and museums, the trip enabled the boys to draw in-person connections to their current studies in History 2, and to this year’s Form II theme of “Becoming Men of Courage, Compassion, and Integrity.” 
 
“The trip was a concrete reminder of why the themes we uphold are necessary for humanity to progress,” said trip leader and Form II Head Advisor Dan Fulham. “Visits to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial highlighted the courage required to endure and defeat injustice. Our students deepened their compassion for those who have faced immense suffering in order to make the world a better place. Time spent at United States War Memorial sites, including Vietnam, Korea, and Iwo Jima, further emphasized historical examples of the core tenets we seek to instill in our Form II students.”
 
The trip was also defined by the personal connections made over the course of the three days, whether that was within the group or with people the students had the opportunity to spend time with along the way. Perhaps the most powerful of these interactions took place at the Holocaust Memorial, where the boys had the rare privilege to speak directly with a Holocaust survivor. 
 
At the U.S. Capitol Building, the Form met with Representative Jake Auchincloss who serves on behalf of the many of the students as their congressional representative. “Representative Auchincloss’s willingness to not only meet with the boys but solicit their thoughts on issues that directly impact their daily lives, like teen social media use, was a palpable way for them to experience the process of government,” trip leader Joe LaLiberte ’14 said.  This conversation was followed by time spent in the gallery of the House Chamber where students heard speeches presented on the floor from both political parties.
 
The trip concluded with the chance to meet Ben Lebowitz ’16 who works in a congressional office at the Capitol Building. Mr. Lebowitz offered insights into having a career in politics and, in a full circle moment, shared memories of his own D.C. trip. 
 
“Seeing the joy on the faces of the boys, and on Mr. Lebowitz, during their visit was a wonderful way to end the three-day experience,” Mr. LaLiberte noted. “It was a showcase to the students of the lasting strength of the Belmont Hill brotherhood, and that this community they are a part of extends far beyond campus.”