Fort Dodge Middle School students took a trip to Washington, D.C., during spring break to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.

“Right now there are three unknown soldiers there,” said Dave Newman, who coordinated the trip.

Newman, who was an eighth-grade history teacher in Fort Dodge for 13 years, has taken five groups of Fort Dodge students to Washington, D.C., as a way of continuing to share educational experiences with students, even though he now lives in Ankeny.

“The wreath-laying ceremony is probably one of the neatest things I have them take part in,” said Newman. “It’s a really rewarding experience.”

One hundred and thirty-two students went on the trip, traveling on three buses. Each student self-funded their own trip.

The group left on March 20 and returned on March 25.

About 15 students submitted essays to Newman explaining what it would mean to them to be one of the four to lay the wreath during the ceremony.

Newman removed the names from the essays and asked a small group of adults to determine which ones they liked best.

Students Antavion Adams, Sawyer Springer, Madalyn Daniel and Geoffrey Astor were selected for the ceremony.

During the ceremony the students walked down the steps together from the audience and placed the wreath on an easel.

It was announced that the wreath was presented on behalf of the Fort Dodge Middle School.

The ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery are held frequently, according to Newman.

Daniel, a seventh-grader, was one of the students who had the opportunity to take part in the ceremony.

“It was touching to be a part of that because some of my family has served in the military,” she said. “It was cool to know that I was part of a ceremony to honor those who have risked their lives for this country.

“Laying the wreath is something I will always remember,” she added.

Eight adults served as chaperones during the trip.

Becky Daniel, a sixth-grade language arts teacher at Fort Dodge Middle School, was one of them.

It was her first trip to Washington, D.C.

“Being at Arlington National Cemetery was very humbling to see and realize the sacrifices they made for us,” she said.

She was glad to have the opportunity to see students gain a valuable experience, she said.

“You only get so much from a book or having a teacher talk with you,” she said. “To witness it first-hand brings a whole new level to that experience. They are able to appreciate it even more having seen it.”

Throughout the trip, students had the chance to visit several memorials and museums including the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

“It is very rewarding to me to see the kids’ eyes light up and see some of the places we go,” Newman said. “The architecture in D.C. is so fantastic. I’ve heard kids before tell me they’ve never been out of the state of Iowa. It’s a very eye-opening experience for most of these kids to see the things they see.”

“Hopefully these kids will remember some of these things and take their families someday.”

Newman also said the trip has become popular among students.

“I’ve gone from 70 kids to 110 and now 130,” he said. “It’s gotten very popular. It’s gotten more and more to the point where I may have to limit it in the future.”

Newman’s next trip to Washington, D.C., will take place in 2018.