I recently took the trip of a lifetime to Washington, DC (and beyond) as a chaperone for my granddaughter Maria’s 8th grade class. I’ve always been patriotic, and learning more about our nation’s history while standing in the places where so many important events occurred only strengthened my patriotism. Since my granddaughter attends Cornerstone Christian Academy, we also learned more about the role faith played in the lives of our Founding Fathers as they built and fought for the freedom we have today.

Each day was a new adventure that took us to a variety of places in and around our nation’s capitol. Here are some of the historic locations we visited:

• Jamestown settlement and Fort Monroe

• Colonial Williamsburg

• Monticello (Jefferson’s estate)

• Independence Hall in Philadelphia (home of the Liberty Bell)

• Gettysburg Battlefield and National Cemetery

• The United States Naval Academy

• The White House

• The Library of Congress

• The FDR, Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., Iwo Jima, Washington, and Lincoln Monuments

• The Korean and Vietnam War Memorials

As you can imagine, each of these places made a special impact. For example, standing on the ground of Gettysburg was - to say the least - somber, and to view the many names of those who died was overwhelming.

One of the most moving places we visited was Arlington National Cemetery, for a very special reason. Before the trip, Maria had written an essay about what the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier means to her, an essay her grandfather and I believe shows a thought process well beyond her years. Others thought so as well, because Maria, along with three other classmates, was given the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb.

What we saw and learned on this trip was a good reminder to all of us that America still stands for freedom. Lee Greenwood said it best in his song God Bless the USA: “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me.”