NTCC students take study trip to D.C.

Northeast Texas Community College students and faculty members recently traveled to Washington D.C. as a part of the NTCC Travel Study Course program. Students had the opportunity to tour the nation’s capital while earning college credit hours in history, government, English, and photography courses. NTCC Government Professor Rex Allen said this year’s travel course to Washington gave students an experience that goes well beyond the classroom. “When students see these things firsthand and go into the buildings where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are located, it has more of an impact and more of a feeling like they were almost there when it was done,” Allen said. “Students actually see things and can say, ‘Hey, that’s the original document, there is the White House where the president lives, and they get to see protestors and other things they wouldn’t see unless they were there.” The trip to D.C. was designed to give students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the historical significance of the nation’s capital. “There’s so much to see and so much history, and so much of America’s past is here,” NTCC student Rachel Thomas said. “Seeing how America was built up, and how it has influenced where we are today, and how it will influence where we’re going to be in the future.” The chance to see George Washington’s Mt. Vernon home was also a special treat for many of the students. “I really liked a lot of the museums, but I also thought George Washington’s mansion was really interesting,” NTCC student Grayson Sewell said. “I felt like there was a lot of good history there, and I learned a lot.” The group also spent some time visiting with Mount Pleasant native Louie Gohmert in his congressional office. “Congressman Gohmert was willing to sit down and talk and just be a regular guy,” Allen said. “He was willing to talk about anything we wanted to talk about.” Allen said it was a great learning experience for the students. “These students need to see who a congressman really is and what they do, not just what they see in the media and read in the newspapers,” Allen said. The annual trips are also open to other Northeast students, faculty and staff as well as community members who just want to travel with the group without taking classes. The travel study program rotates between cities each year with trips to Washington D.C., Boston and New York. The group will travel to Boston in May 2019 and New York in 2020.