Youth Exchange Students Visit Washington DC

WASHINGTON D.C... – On June 3, 2014 Moline Rotary Club Youth Exchange student Antonio Leite, and Rock Island Youth Exchange student Leander Selter accompanied Moline Rotarian Gary Francque to Washington D.C... for a five day educational tour of our nation’s Capital. They traveled miles on DC Metro trains, and on foot as well, visiting many tourist attractions of government and historical significance.

Highlights included a visit to Congresswoman Cheri Bustos’ office, a private tour of the Capital building, visits of The Supreme Court, The Library of Congress, The White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Korean and Vietnam Memorials, and the WWII Memorial where the boys were thrilled to personally meet WWII veterans present for a WWII Veterans Honor Flight visit. The guys also participated in group tours of The Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, where they visited The Tomb of the Unknowns and observed the Changing of the Guard ceremony. They also visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where they were thrilled to examine in-person such exhibits as  the stealth Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, an Air France Concord jetliner, and the Enola Gay B-29 Superfortress, and space exploration exhibits including the recovered Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo 11 capsules and the Space Shuttle Discovery.

The guys enjoyed an evening “Washington at Night“ bus tour, and had a blast on a Segway scooter tour of Washington sites as well. They dined at three famous restaurants including Geranio Italian Restaurant in Alexandria, The Dubliner Bar & Grill and Old Ebbitts Grill in Washington, and capped off the trip with a shopping spree at Pentagon City Mall. 

The guys had a great time and both Antonio and Leander received an extensive lesson in American government and culture! See photos of the Washington trip on Clubrunner under Photo Albums / Washington DC Trip.