Oct 10, 2008 6:54 pm US/Eastern
Midshipmen Joined By Local Students In Celebration
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) ―
Around this time every year, the Midshipmen at the Naval Academy celebrate both the day the academy was founded as well as the day the U.S. Navy was formed.
Mike Schuh reports they combined the two and invited possible future Midshipmen to join in the celebration.
Annapolis Elementary has been on field trips before, but none like the one they went on Friday.
Never have they been able to interact with a college team mascot, ride in a science experiment, go to a planetarium and drive a warship simulator all in one afternoon.
"And it feels like you're on the water because the waves are going up and down," said Hailey from Whiley H. Bates Middle School.
"I got butterflies in my stomach," said Henry from Whiley H. Bates Middle School.
"It's a wonderful experience for the children to have lived in Annapolis all their lives and really get a first-hand view of what's going on at the Naval Academy. It's a wonderful day," said teacher Tracy Bockmiller.
The goal is to encourage them to do well in school.
Such a field trip inspired one recent academy grad.
"I went on a trip just like this when I was 7/8-years-old, and I thought, 'Hey I could go here,'" said Ty Fritz, Naval Academy grad.
All of the students who came to the academy Friday were from Anne Arundel County schools.
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