A handful of Wrangell High School students recently returned from an educational journey to Washington, D.C., and New York City, gaining a new perspective on the world and a deeper appreciation for their home.

The students traveled April 8-20 through the nationwide Close Up program. Sarah Whittlesey-Merritt, who has led the trip for Wrangell since 2007, described the annual excursion as a “wonderful experience.”

During their time in the nation’s capital, the group visited several landmarks.

“They got to see the World War II memorial along with the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, the Vietnam and Korean War memorials, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and more,” Whittlesey-Merritt said.

“I also got to take them up to the top of the Washington Monument, which is the best view of the city. On the way up, the different state stones are displayed, and we had fun finding Alaska’s, which is jade.”

The participating students were Jackson Powers, Alana Harrison, Sophia Martinsen, Madelyn Davies and Bella Ritchie.

The itinerary included a visit to the Holocaust Museum, a staple of the program since Whittlesey-Merritt began leading the trips.

“It’s a very important place to go, and it always affects the students every year,” she said. “When I take them, I tell them, ‘It’s important your generation never lets this happen again.’ It makes an impact.”

She also encouraged the students to expand their palates.

“I told them, ‘Find some food that you can’t get in Wrangell,’” she said. “This year, we tried Indian food. They loved it.”

While in Washington, the students attended a production of the musical “1776” at Ford’s Theatre.

“Jackson (Powers) loved that,” Whittlesey-Merritt said. “He was grinning from ear to ear throughout the whole production, and saying his parents would love to have the same experience. And Madelyn (Davies) plays violin and she got to meet the violin player and hold her violin.”

In New York, the group attended the Broadway pop-concert-style musical “Six.” While Whittlesey-Merritt said the show was only “OK,” she was grateful the students had the opportunity to see it.

The transition to the fast-paced environment of New York also provided some cultural adjustments for the students.

“It was also interesting to see how they responded to everything in New York on the second day we were there,” she said. “They asked what was the smoke coming up out of the vents in the ground and whether or not the air was contaminated. When we arrived home you could tell they were grateful to be breathing Wrangell air again.”

The trip also offered a personal connection for Davies, who located her family’s registry in the ledger at Ellis Island, the entry point for millions of immigrants to the United States from 1892 to 1954.

“I wish we had more time to stay at different locations like that,” Whittlesey-Merritt said. “But, the overall experience is incredible and there isn’t any other way they could experience as much as they did in such a short period of time.”