Mondays with Mike: 8th Grade D.C. Trip
What This Moment Means
Good Monday afternoon PCA families,
This past week I sat down with one of our eighth-grade teachers, Mr. Rivard, and a couple of students, Lily and Abhi, just a few days before they left for Washington, D.C.
What struck me was not just their excitement—it was how they are beginning to think differently.
At one point, Abhi said, “It kind of made me feel proud to be an American… just seeing what people went through and what they did for our country.”
That caught my attention. They are not just recalling what they have learned. They are starting to connect it to where they are going, and to who they are becoming. They are about to step into the very places they have been studying!
▶ Listen to this week’s 16-minute episode (Tap the player below or open in your podcast app.)
Key Takeaways
- Seeing changes understanding.
Students expect that standing in these places will make what they have learned more real—and more personal. - Pride is being shaped by perspective.
As Abhi reflected, “It kind of made me feel proud to be an American… just seeing what people went through and what they did for our country.” That perspective is beginning to take root in powerful ways. - Some moments will be weighty—and formative.
Places like the Holocaust Museum and Arlington Cemetery are not just stops on a trip; they are moments that shape understanding and perspective. - Faith provides a lens for engagement.
Students are beginning to connect gratitude, freedom, and responsibility to how they live and respond to what they are seeing. - This is a transition point.
They are moving from learning about history to beginning to understand their place within it.
This is one of those moments in a student’s life where something begins to shift. They are not just learning history anymore. They are beginning to see it, feel it, and consider how they will respond.
Abhi and Lily’s reflections capture that movement well. We are grateful for the opportunity they have, and for Mr. Rivard for guiding them. We look forward to seeing how this experience shapes them in the days and years ahead.
Next week we will be on Spring break! Please pray for our Mission Trip #2, heading to Niagara Falls. Also, pray for our Theatre Festival group heading to New Englands in Vermont, as one of only 2 schools representing New Hampshire!
We’ll see you back on campus soon!
Grace and peace,
Mike Runey
Head of School
Portsmouth Christian Academy
As a community, we are continuing to lean into these same themes through our Spring Reading Club as we read 1776 together between now and Memorial Day.
If you missed the kickoff, you can watch it HERE.
If it requests a passcode, it is: E.q=Qn4@
You can also access the family reading guide below (attached).
This is a natural way to continue these conversations at home—about history, leadership, and the responsibilities that come with both.
Our next Zoom call is this coming this Thursday, April 23 at 5pm. The link is in the blog post HERE. Hope to see you then! We will be covering Section 1, Chapters 1-3—the siege of our very own Boston!
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