When Miranda Brandenberg was named coordinator of Montgomery County Middle School’s trip to Washington, D.C. this year, she didn’t waste any time taking the job.

Brandenburg visited the nation’s capital as a student at De Soto High School years ago. This summer, she was the leader of a trip that included 20 students and 15 chaperones.

“These kids need this opportunity because it’s to experience the historical value of our country and all of that kind of stuff,” Brandenburg said. “If I could give this to even 10 kids, that’s something they would remember forever. It’s near and dear to my heart because I enjoyed it when I was in high school.”

The MCMS students visited Washington from June 24-27. The students were Olivia Baker, Tanner Broocke, siblings Chloe and Jayden Conder, Dallas Cope, Alyssa Davis, Julia Elder, Brady Falloon, Mylee Hans, siblings Avery, Dylan and Jordan Finke, Anna Johnson, Alex Oden, Silas Powell, Oliviana Shults, Alaina Spurgeon, Landon Teson, Harrison Vomund and Myles Wilson.

Brandenburg said it took about two years to plan this trip. Two years ago, the students were in sixth and seventh grade.

“It gives the parents a chance to really think about, ‘Is this something I want to send my kid on?’ They have been doing this for years in the community,” Brandenburg said. “I know there were some people who were like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I remember taking that trip.’ Well, it’s a good one to go on.”

Even though she returned from the East Coast three weeks ago, Brandenburg is already planning for the next trip that is scheduled for 2027.

“We haven’t decided yet what we’re going to do,” Brandenburg said. “We’ll most likely fly again just because it’s quicker and you’ll get there faster.”

The last time MCMS students went to Washington was on June 27-30, 2022, when now-principal Kista River was the coordinator. That year, the students chose to fly instead of making the 17-hour bus ride. The trip was cancelled the year before due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this year’s trip, students and adults visited many attractions in the nation’s capital, including the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, 9/11 Memorial, African American History Museum, the White House and the Arlington Cemetery.

Brandenburg said her students got to learn about American history during the trip.

“It’s all of the stuff they’re learning about,” she said. “They’ve seen that and experienced it. They learned about it in school. Now, they’re like, ‘Hey, I know what this is.’”

Brandenburg said before this year’s trip, she taught her children how important it was to stay with an adult in a big city like Washington.

“I prepped the kids a lot because they have to know that we’re not going to St. Louis or Kansas City,” said Brandenburg, who taught at Montgomery City Elementary School. “We’re going to a really, really crowded place and we don’t have city smarts. We’re in Montgomery County. So we have to make sure that we’re being safe and staying with our group. I prepped them a lot in the two years leading up to the trip.”

Brandenburg credits the adults for helping the three-day trip run smoothly.

“They were 15 great chaperones who helped keep an eye on the children because we wanted to make sure that they’re safe,” Brandenburg said. “That was the big thing.”