From Jan. 19 through Jan. 22, 14 FHS students and three staff chaperones, Brad Baldwin, Aaron Fitzpatrick and Ellen Hill, journeyed to Washington, D.C. to attend the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States.

The trip was organized by Baldwin and was announced near the end of the 2015-2016 school year.

Throughout the trip, the group planned to attend the inaugural activities, such as the parade and seeing Donald Trump take the oath of office. While in D.C., though, they planned on taking advantage of the new scenery and setting.

On Friday, they planned to attend the inauguration and the other activities included in the inauguration and the live musical performances during the inaugural event. There were musical performances by Toby Keith, Jon Voight, Michael Flatley, 3 Doors Down, Radio City Rockettes, The Frontmen of the Country, The Piano Guys, Jackie Evancho and lesser-known guests.

However, the group unfortunately missed the actual inauguration due to long lines. This resulted in half of the group attended the inaugural parade while the other half went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museums.

On Saturday, the group attempted to get on the metro, but ended up driving out to the Arlington National Cemetery. Afterwards, they took a metro back to D.C and wandered around. A portion of the group, some of the members being Fitzpatrick, and juniors Kayla Eaton, David McKenna, Jessica Palakovich and Siarra Corfield, went to the Newseum and witnessed the Women’s March, which was a movement that took place across the world to advocate for women’s rights.

“The Women’s March was definitely an eye-opening experience to me. To see 1.4 million people, both men and women, advocating for the same cause was truly an amazing experience,” Eaton said.

During that time, the other part of the group went to the Holocaust Museum and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

“I really enjoyed the Holocaust Museum, it was the main reason I went on this trip. Although we didn’t get to spend a lot of time there, it was a great experience. My favorite part of the inauguration trip was the Arlington Cemetery. It was so beautiful and humbling, I definitely want to go back,” senior Autumn Ashurst said.

This trip was not all work and no play. On Saturday night, most of the group went out for lazer tag. They left Sunday morning to come back to Freedom.

Even though they missed President Trump’s speech, they still got to see some of the monuments and historical places in Washington, D.C.

“[I am excited] just to see all the people there actually coming together with our country being so divided over one thing,” McKenna said.

This trip got an overall positive reaction from the students who attended.

“In another four years, I would recommend [hosting another trip]. It was a really great time,” Eaton said.