Freedom Isn't Free by Delaina

     The Freedom Tour is all about freedom, and how much it has cost Americans. We have been asked questions about what freedom means to us individually. Most of us have said being away from our parents, and yes, that freedom has been very nice. Some have said other things, like freedom of speech, press, religion, and more. The answers have been spread out and diverse, yet we have all learned one true thing: freedom isn’t - and never will be - free. We take it for granted that we have democracy rather than a monarchy or communist government. We take it for granted that we can say what we want, post what we want, and be ourselves whereas elsewhere the tables are turned. I’ve learned to appreciate my writing more not as a hobby, or a possible career, but as a true freedom. I enjoy writing, and have now realized how much I am thankful that I can write on a blog like this, freely, without fearing punishment.

         Many have lost their lives to help aid our country in being free. All the memorials, from the ghost statues of Korean soldiers, the endless wall of names for Vietnam, the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and more have helped Americans living today be free, even though it meant them dying. Also, all the presidential memorials.  Lincoln, JFK, John D Roosevelt, the Clintons, and more have given empowering speeches to make sure we know we are strong, free, and can do anything we set our hearts to, as long as we do it united. Where would we be without the Civil Rights Movement? What if we had never had the Sit-Ins, or the Freedom Rides, or MLK Jr.? Where would our country stand? Free? Maybe not so much. United? Definitely not. I think I have realized that in our to have freedom, you have to be united. You have to have someone to back you up, and be there for you.

         Freedom means and symbolizes many things. To me, it makes me happy and really, empowered to know I can do anything that I want to, and that I set my heart to. Like writing, for an example. And stemming off of freedom, I can choose the people I want by my side. If anything, this trip has been great for bonding and budding friendships. All of us have been the blossoms on the tree, now starting to bloom. Is this trip going to end? Yes, sadly it will. But it will be with us forever, and I’m grateful to all the team leaders, the patient bus drivers (cough, cough, Nancy), Phil and the amazing Marybeth, and everyone else on this trip. It has been amazing, and I’m forever grateful for such an experience. Thank you, so much!

Memorials by Hannah

Today, we went to a lot of really cool memorials in Washington DC. I hung out with Hope, Faith and Charity today, as well. Those three ladies represent what women did to help during wars. Hope was looking at the sky hoping for the war to end, Faith was praying to help the men survive, and Charity was caring for the men. We also went to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and this was cool because I was Eleanor Roosevelt in something at my school called biography day. I found out a ton of information about this person and pretended to be her for a day.

We also went to the holocaust museum. This was really interesting and my favorite museum we've gone to so far. There was this one section that was about a boy who went from living a normal life to going to a ghetto and then being moved to a concentration camp. He survived the camp but his mother and sister didn't. He had written a diary but it was taken away once he entered the camp. This was extremely interesting. I really enjoyed this day and I thought it was very interesting.

Resurrection of the Ghost Solders by Ainsley

Today our first stop was the Korean Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The solders were like ghosts against the gray sky above and the green foliage below. The wall of the names carved into the granite stone reflected our faces symbolizing that they were all people just like us.  They were willing to fight forces who were oppressing the people of Korea.  The faces of the statues reflected what was in their souls pain, sadness, and fear. Even with such things embedded into their heart and soul they were also strong, brave and determined to survive and help these people.  

I realize just what freedom means to me. Freedom means having an education and not forced to stay home. It means not giving up on people that others have, and fighting for them. It means that the revolting amount of blood shed and killing was for the freedom we hold dear to us. 

 

'FREDOM IS NOT FREE'

Colonel Marsh's homework assignment for the Bath YMCA Freedom Tour participants

Colonel Marsh arranged for Marine One to fly over the Pentagon Memorial - the aircraft he flew Pres. Bush in the evening of 9/11

The Soldier read to the students at Arlington National Cemetery (author unknown)

Hall of Remembrance at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

WW II Memorial

Reflections at the Vietnam Memorial

Pentagon Memorial by Jacob

 Today we went to the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. When we got there we had a guest speaker who told us about the day that 9/11 happened, and how he had to fly president Bush from The Pentagon to The White House. Before Mr. Bush had arrived he heard that the North Twin Tower had been hit by a plane and then 15 minutes later a second plane flew into the south tower. He said that before the president had arrived he had to go to the helicopter pad and start the helicopter. As he was setting up for the president he heard on the radio that an airplane had crashed into the Pentagon. When he was finishing up he noticed that there was burning paper and ashes floating through the air around him. When he was ready he went back to the Pentagon to see if the radio was right, and sure enough it was. He had just seen the destruction caused by the terrorist gang know as Alquada. 

When we had a chance to go and witness the memorial it was much different than we all expected. When we got to look at the ages of the people that had been killed and their names it felt like we had been there at that time. When we looked at the year our parents were born and traced the date back to the people that had died the day of the attack it was very eye opening because we were all wondering what it would be like if our parents were harmed in that attack. In school they always talk about the number of casualties and just the basics of what happened. But when we talked to someone who witnessed it first hand it was a whole different experience.

Watch Kitty Donohoe at the 2008 Dedication of the Pentagon Memorial

Watch Kitty Donohoe at the 2008 Dedication of the Pentagon Memorial

Kitty Donohoe - "There Are No Words" - Written On 9/11/2001

there are no words there is no song
is there a balm that can heal these wounds that will last a lifetime long
and when the stars have burned to dust
hand in hand we still will stand because we must

in one single hour in one single day
we were changed forever something taken away
and there is no fire that can melt this heavy stone
that can bring back the voices and the spirits of our own

all the brothers, sisters and lovers all the friends that are gone
all the chairs that will be empty in the lives that will go on
can we ever forgive though we never will forget
can we believe in the milk of human goodness yet

we were forged in freedom we were born in liberty
we came here to stop the twisted arrows cast by tyranny
and we won’t bow down we are strong of heart
we are a chain together that won’t be pulled apart

Marine Memorial by Kayla

Today we visited a memorial for six brave Marines. They risked their own life for the freedom of our country. They were in WWII. Three of them died in Iwo Jima and three of them came back to America. They were very young when they risked their own lives for our country. They were around the ages of 18-25. The youngest to die was only 18 years old. They were still kids with a lot left to do in life. Their story is very heartwarming. When hearing their story it brought tears to my eyes, as well as the reader of their story. They were the ones who raised the flag for our country on the island of Iwo Jima. They didn't think that the flag was big enough, so they sent a Marine by the name of Renee to get a bigger flag. Renee was young man from New Hampshire. He is from New England just like most of the people reading this. Another very heartwarming story is about a man named James Bradley. He made it back to America after Iwo Jima. He never talked to the press or said that he was a hero. He would tell his son that he was just like everyone else. After he died, later in life his son wrote a book about his father and the other 5 men. Each one of their stories is truly amazing. They were very different yet so much alike. I know they had one thing in common and that was to protect our country. They were very brave young men who sacrificed their precious lives for us. -Kayla Ruona 

Freedom is not free by Anna

I really enjoyed going to the national cemetery this morning to see the changing of the guards at the tomb of the un-known soldier. It was a very Solemn ceremony that changed everyone's perspectives on freedom, and made us all reflect on what it means to be an American. Everyday we wake up, we are free. We are free to say what we want, worship what we want, love who we want, and are titled to many other freedoms. What we tend to forget is all the people who have died to give us these freedoms. Seeing all the graves was just astonishing. It was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that at each grave rest an individual person who died for my freedom. Nobody will forget those who died for us, and we must all remember that freedom isn't in fact free.

Sculpture Garden by Ainsley

Dear Brunswick Freedom Tour,
Today we traveled all over Washington, D.C. What I chose to to write about was the sculpture garden. After splitting into different groups I went off with Delaina,Makayla,and Isabella. My mother's favorite sculpture was the silver tree. Del was the "The Thinker Rabbit". My personal favorite was the Optical House. It was my favorite because it could look 3-D at one angle and them look flat at another. One off the best parts was when the group decided that they wanted to put their feet in the fountain. The water was cool compared to everything around us.

James D. Debeuneure 1943-2001 by Rachel

I sit here on the bench of James D. Debeuneure, under a tree, and just think.  This man was on the plane that crashed into the pentagon.  Water trickles underneath, and a clear blue sky scattered with cotton balls floats overhead.  On the day of September eleventh, Mr. James woke up, and began his daily commute.  He probably made contact with a loved one that day, or maybe not.  But whomever he was loved by, they were not to hear from him again.  On this day Mr. James would be one of the many people to bring a nation together in a time of heartache and heartbreak.  As far as anyone knows, his story could be just another entangled in a larger tale of our nation’s history.  But Mr. James, I look up to the heavens, and I promise you: I will never forget you.

The Soldier Standing in the Sun by Delaina

He’s a solider, and he is also a guard. Dressed in his uniform and FBI looking sunglasses, and shiny black shoes, he stands in the sweltering sun guarding the unknown solider. This solider is indeed unknown, but he doesn’t need a name to hold such representation and fame. The solider represents those who have been lost in war, found or not. Respectful visitors, there to pay their respects to those fallen, stare admiringly and respectfully at the tomb shining in the summer sunshine. As we waited for the changing of the guards, I noticed how the marine saluted the tomb. It felt different than most salutes I’ve seen. Serious, true, real, and that isn’t to offend anyone. I was just really struck at the seriousness and overall…well, brotherhood. That’s how I would describe it. The phrase “Never leave a man behind” ran through my mind all day long. Never forget a man either.

         The tomb of the Unknown Soldier made me reflect on this trip. Freedom, friendship, kindness, respect, bonding…all made me really think. Never forget your friends, and never leave them behind. Because in the end, they might be the only ones there for you.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Good morning Day 5!

Breakfast 

Gettysburg and Google Voice

Over the course of the week the students have many opportunities to connect with history and reflect about their learning using multiple avenues:  journaling, blogging, discussions, Google Voice, and photography.  Our hope is that the student's voice stamps a unique perspective of history and on the 2015 Freedom Tour.   

We used Google Voice at Gettysburg at the General Lee statue.  The guide emphasized that Longstreet questioned Lee's orders twice, yet, in the end, Longstreet followed Lee's orders.  Had Lee followed Longstreet's advice, historians believe the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg may have been very different.   

This morning's reflection asked the student's to use their phone and respond to the following prompt: 

"Tell about a time when you followed a leader whose cause you did not believe in." 

Day 4 by Zoe

​After about 1 hour of driving  to Gettysburg National Park, we pulled into the parking lot. The large open fields of tall grass and scattered stones defines the view. We stayed on the bus until our new tour guide joined us. He explained the importance of the battle and who had fought   bravely those three days in history. Because our guide knew we were from Maine, we got a special tour of Little Round Top. For those who do not know, Little Round Top is the small hill where Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain defended the Union lines heroically. I was very Interested in Maine's role in the Civil War and the Battle or Gettysburg. We also visited the "high water mark of the Confederate forces". This monument marks the closest point that Pickett's Charge was to the Union lines. I am very glad that we went to this park because I learned lots of information about the civil war, how to load a cannon and the role Maine had in the battle.        

#RedBusRules by Delaina

For starters, the red bus is definitely the best bus out of the three. We have Nancy, the driver, who is so chill and just awesome. Then, we have Michael with his old, classic music and booming laugh. He gets along with just about everyone. But who has the loudest laugh? Definitely Hélène. It doesn’t take much to make her start laughing, and it’s extremely contagious. I’m lucky to call her my team leader, as she is so much fun and just amazing to be around. Of course, let’s not forget Patrick. He will sing to anything, and his voice bounces off the windows (as there really is no walls) and sometimes, we join in with him. And then innocent Holly. Can’t forget her! She’s so quiet, yet extremely nice. She will help anyone. After all, she is the nurse. The next innocent one is Evie. Sweet, nearly silent Evie. I haven’t really heard much from her, but she seems to enjoy just tuning out the kids and gazing out the window. I don’t blame her, though the Red Bus is usually very quiet. (That’s why we’re the best, duh!) Hope, the one who sits right up front and keeps to herself, talked about her spirit animal, which happens to be an Elk. Why, I have no idea whatsoever. Maybe she will bring it up again tomorrow while we ride around Washington. Lastly, forgive me if I have forgotten anyone, there is Sue. Now, she is also quiet, but she is what we are calling the light flicker. Accidentally tonight, I had forgotten to turn on my light. Up she goes and over she comes, tapping on my light and giving me a friendly smile.

         So why does the Red Bus rule? We are quiet, which keeps the adults sane and…decent. We aren’t mouthy or jumpy, which makes it easy for Nancy. And then, no offense to other busses, we just have the best, friendliest people on board to enjoy the ride. And so far, we are all enjoying it.

Yes sir Mr President

Abe Lincoln boards the Red Bus to greet the kids!

Cannon Drill at Gettysburg

Who'll Stop the Rain?

We were able to avoid the heaviest rainfall in the morning while we were in Philly, but from noon on, it was a deluge!

Not much to report on with photos, but will canvas the crew in the morning and cull pictures off their cameras and upload in the morning. 

Again, we were impressed with the kids!  Despite the rain and the disappointing pool party, they never complained. 

We were also impressed with the team leaders!  They were flexible with all the craziness at the hotel, traffic, rain, and day 3 drama.  We met at 10:45 pm after a very long day and they still managed to end the day with a smile and a positive attitude. How fortunate to have such wonderful role models in our community to work with our teens this week!