MVHS Students Attend Inauguration

By Stephanie Bunker

Moapa Valley Progress

A group of Moapa Valley High School students worked hard and earned money to attend the Presidential Inauguration on January 21.

Over a year ago MVHS Government Teacher Charlie Cooper began recruiting kids to sign up for the trip. After extensive fundraising by the students they were able to take the trip last week to attend the Inauguration ceremonies for the second term of President Barack Obama.

Eight students, led by Cooper and his wife Alisha, left on Friday January 18 and returned Tuesday the 22.

While they were in Washington, the group visited many of the famous sites in the nation’s Capital. They visited the Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Vietnam Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum, the Holocaust Museum and more.

One of the highlights of the trip was a stop at the National Archives. As the students gathered around the original document of the U.S. Constitution one student couldn’t believe he was so close to the document that the founding fathers had touched and held.

As the students visited the Arlington Cemetery they found out that President Obama had just been to the cemetery for a wreath-laying ceremony. The group arrived as the President was leaving the cemetery. They said that they were able to see the President in his vehicle as he drove past.

Harry Reid’s office arranged for the students to have tickets to the Inauguration. The tickets put the group in the reception pool which was up front, close to the stage.

“After talking to the kids, we thought the coolest part was just the fact that we were there,” Cooper said.

Cooper had each student speak into a voice recorder telling their favorite part of the trip. Vada Ortiz’s favorite part was getting to be a part of history, getting to meet a bunch of people and see all these historical landmarks. Sarah King liked being with everyone and learning a lot of history.

This is the 2nd Inauguration that Cooper has attended. He hopes to make it a tradition every 4 years to attend.

Cooper also hopes to plan a trip to Washington D.C. in between Inauguration years so that, as kids get to be juniors and seniors in high school, they will be able to visit these important sites.