Road to Leadership kids tell story to Kiwanis Club

DAYTON–Four Dayton High School students and a chaperone traveled to Washington, D.C., last November and returned to Dayton forever changed.

Rose Burris-Ramirez, Sadie Seney and Mackena Culley each gave verbal "snapshots" of their week-long, educational visit to the nation's capital last November during a presentation to the Dayton Kiwanis Club and guests February 13. A fourth member, Adam Puckett, was unable to attend. Advisor/chaperone Shayna Hutchens also attended.

This foursome was the second group of the Kiwanis Club-sponsored Road to Leadership (RTL) program to visit Washington, D.C. The club established RTL in 2017 to give Dayton High School juniors intensive exposure to civics, politics and history, linking with Close Up, a national program with similar goals.

Burris-Ramirez was "kinda freaked out" about meeting new people, "but it turned out to be amazing."

Two of Burris-Ramirez's roommates were from Puerto Rico, and she was impressed at how "invested they were in their government." The other was from Oklahoma, and visually impaired, a student at one of two schools for the blind who sent students to the Close Up organization's program.

"It was amazing to see how well she coped with it," Burris-Ramirez said.

"It was a great experience and my favorite day was probably the Capital Day," Seney said, her voice breaking with emotion.

Visiting the U.S. Capital and walking onto the floor of the House of Representatives, Seney was inspired. "I want to be here. I want to do this," she said, adding that she is looking into careers tied to politics.

"I think that this trip was an amazing opportunity for any student and I'd recommend it to anyone," she said.

Culley spoke of her "most moving experience," visiting the Holocaust Museum.

She described walking into the room and the somber, hushed atmosphere. There are cards that visitors can pick up that have information about actual Holocaust survivors, or people who survived and have since passed away. "It was just really moving," Culley said. "Because you walk through and there were, from ceiling to the floor, family photos that they had saved."

Continuing through the exhibits, there is a seeming vacant hallway with a glass case filled with shoes that had been salvaged. There were also family paintings and portraits of small children.

This experience underscored for Culley how the United States government is set up "to prevent that from happening, and really appreciate it because we don't ... you never know when your last day is," she said.

Visitors were also able to light a candle for the loss of lives, so that was really important to do, Culley said.

Dayton High teacher Shayna Hutchens was not just an adult chaperone, seeing that the students were safe on the cross-country flight. "It's also focused on giving the teachers education, and expanding our understanding of the history and politics and culture of Washington, D.C. So we're not just tagging along, chaperoning the whole time, we're also learning. That's another really cool benefit for me. And I think it just makes your dollars have a greater impact because I'm also learning and being refreshed.

Prospective students apply by writing an essay and completing an application. The approximate $10,000 cost is contributed by the Kiwanis Club through fund raisers like Turkey Bingo. The students put on car washes to earn spending money.

The foursome met Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) but missed connections with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5th), who was in Dayton during the time they were in Washington, D.C. McMorris Rodgers face-timed with the four while they were at a Navy memorial and McMorris Rodgers was speaking at Dayton High School.

Every day was structured. The group was up and breakfasted by 8 a.m., then boarded tour buses for the day's itinerary, which included numerous memorials, museums, Arlington National Cemetery, the Capital Building, and other sights. The group witnessed the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and attended a theatrical production at Kennedy Center. They visited the Museum of Natural History.

Each place visited by the group included a workshop and study materials for the students to complete. Most evenings included structured activities such as presentations and debates.

One included an exploration of LGBTQ rights. Culley and Seney thought it was interesting because a person in that community was a member of their group and she had voted against adding LGBTQ rights to the Civil Rights Act.

"I thought was very interesting," Culley said. The individual didn't want people to make a new rule and if people aren't going to be accepting of her, it doesn't bother her, she said.

However, during a moderated debate, the Dayton contingent witnessed that most of the young people "were not for Trump at all," Seney said. The debate involved a professional Democrat and a professional Republican, and the kids were given red and green colored cards, which they held up when they agreed (green) and disagreed (red) with what was being said.

The mention of the president's name brought out red cards from nearly the entire group, Culley said.

When students at school ask Burris-Ramirez about the week, she can talk for hours, she said. "You learn a lot from meeting new people in D.C.," she said. "It opens up your mind to new things that you don't see here in Dayton, Washington. And so it was cool and I can relate that to myself and my peers."

"Amazing to see how insanely busy the capital is." Culley said. "And learning how important our voice is."

In addition to Kiwanis Club contributions, funding assistance is welcomed, according to Kiwanis President Chuck Reeves. The program was kick-started by a substantial anonymous contribution, and the club's desire is to continue to honor that commitment.

Another by-product of the week was the interpersonal relationships that were formed. Lifelong friendships have been forged. Seney has talked with her roommate daily since returning.

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