Gettysburg Trip

On November 18, a group of us (Alston, Brady, Emily, and I, Sarah) took a trip to Gettysburg National Park. We wanted to visit and check out all it had to offer, and it seemed like a good weekend to do so because Gettysburg was actually celebrating the 144th Anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. So that afternoon we met at school, packed into Alston’s car, and headed west.

When we reached town, our first stop was the Visitors’ Center. As a first time visitor, I was very impressed. It was like a museum, all on the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg. As we walked around and saw all of the artifacts and got to see what life was like at the time of the war, we really became immersed in the Gettysburg experience. It was a good way to start our visit.

Next, we drove over to Devil’s Den, an expanse of huge boulders that, as Brady the history buff informed us, was defended by the Union during the battle and was also a spot for snipers. We walked around the boulders, in and out of the caves, as Alston and Brady kept pretending to fall so they could watch Emily and me scream. We took a lot of pictures here…as previously mentioned, the rocks were massive, so of course Alston needed to have a picture standing on top of the highest one. As he tried to climb up, a group of preschoolers on a field trip crowded around, waiting to watch him fall. It was pretty funny.

Our next stop was an extremely tall viewing tower. Emily and I just about died climbing all the steps to the top! But it was well worth it…the view was spectacular. We could see the fields for about a 10 miles in each direction. And again, Alston and Brady made jokes about falling from the top. By then Emily and I were getting really cold, so we got back into Alston’s car and drove over to Little Round Top.

This was also a site successfully defended by the Union army during the battle. And it, too, had a really nice view. We walked around and took a lot of pictures, and Alston and Brady climbed more rocks. There was also a really cool tower that we climbed up, and of course, made jokes about falling off of. As the temperature got lower, we decided to head home.
Before leaving town, we got dinner at a little pizza shop near Gettysburg College. Although only a couple of hours long, our experience at Gettysburg had been not just really fun, but also very memorable. By visiting a park that was only 30 minutes away from where we live, we were able to learn about and appreciate one of the most important battles of our nation’s history. We look forward to more trips similar to this!

-Sarah Cashdollar

Here are some pictures. Both are taken in the exact same spot at different times in history.

Before:

After:

Introduction to 2008 PASC Service Project

Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils
State Service Project 2008
National Park Service
“Preparing for Our Future by Preserving Our Past”
Coordinated by South Western Student Council, Host of the 2008 PASC State Conference

The National Park Service, founded in 1916, preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. In an increasingly uncertain world, we can become better leaders and people who are working for a better future by learning from our past. To promote that endeavor, PASC and the South Western Student Council have partnered with the National Park Service and their Centennial Initiative to coordinate a state service project that seeks to raise funds, awareness, and commitment to the educational value of our National Park System and the 26 Pennsylvania sites.

State Service Project... easy as 1, 2, 3

1. Raise Funds
Use the leadership capacity of your Student Council and generosity of your school and community to raise funds to help financially support the National Park Service’s educational and outreach programs. Each PASC member school is challenged to raise a minimum of $400 to prepare for the future by preserving our past. Suggested fundraising ideas, reporting forms, and additional information can be found at www.origins2008.org and supporting media for the NPS Centennial Initiative is available at www.nps.gov/2016. Your financial support will provide for the greatest impact!

2. Volunteer
In addition to raising funds, your Student Council may want to seek out volunteer opportunities at your local NPS site. Some sites are suited for large groups to volunteer while others can only accommodate small groups or individuals. For your local NPS contact and more information, go to www.origins2008.org

3. Visit
Lastly, your Student Council could arrange a fieldtrip to experience the educational and inspirational value of local NPS sites. In addition, you could promote NPS and the Centennial Initiative throughout your school and community. For your local NPS contact and more information, go to www.origins2008.org

Origins: It Begins with You
PASC 2008 State Conference: November 13, 14 & 15, 2008

The mission of the South Western High School Student Council in hosting the 2008 PASC State Student Council Conference is to influence delegates so powerfully that they return to their schools and communities committed to make a difference; to design experiences in "vision, character, and change" to serve as the Origin of a journey into self-assessment and self-discovery for each delegate; to provide an interactive, challenging, and supportive environment where delegates clarify a vision for the future, strengthen their character, & come to believe change is possible; and to communicate that "It Begins with You."