- Ryan Parlin- Post 221 District 10
- Aiden Bryant- Post 450 District 4
- Sarah Thomas- Post 355 District 2
- Hannah Fuller- Post 25 District 7
- Elyse Pope- Post 405 District 5
- Daniel Cavanagh- Post 28 District 1
- Michael Crosby- Post 506 District 9
- Luke Santos- Post 161 District 8
- Lauren Penrod- Post 188 District 8
- Molly O’Brien- Post 506 District
- Emily Turner- Post 25 District 7
- Joseph Thompson- Post 25 District 7
- Nicholas Schroeder- Post 287 District 1
- Isaac Haas- Post 357 District 10
- Tatum Werntz- Post 217 District 2
- Elizabeth Clouse- Post 354 District 5
- Emma Trimble- Post 25 District 7
The Ohio American Legion A&G trip is not like the typical 8th-grade trip most Ohio teens experience. We have a smaller group of students and focus on history, Americanism, and respect for the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom.
Day to day highlights of the trip:
3/6/2023 8:13am
Our 2023 Americanism and Government Trip is underway!
Make sure to stay tuned for our adventures this week! Wish us luck!
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3/6/2023 6pm
Today, our young leaders visited Gettysburg!
It was a long travel day, so we have finally settled in to our home away from home for this week. Tomorrow will be ever busier! Stay tuned!
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3/7/2023 9am
Good Morning Legionnaires, ladies and gentlemen!
This fantastic group of young leaders have a very busy day ahead of them! Tons of memorial, monuments, and tours.
We will make sure to keep you updated with tons of group photos (their favorite), later this afternoon.
Happy Tuesday!
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3/7/2023 6pm
Today, our young leaders were BUSY!!!!
They visited the Air Force Memorial, Eisenhower Memorial, Navy Memorial, Law Enforcement Memorial, National Cathedral, Capitol, Washington, WWII, Vietnam, Lincoln and Korean monuments/memorials, and stopped at the White House for some pictures.
We also had the young leaders become the teachers today at most of our stops. Great job today Molly, Hannah, Daniel, Emma, Elyse, “Alex”, Joseph, Lauren, Aiden, and Tatum!!!
Tomorrow is Arlington National Cemetery and our wreath laying. You won’t want to miss it!
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3/8/2023 7:53am
Today is the day! Our most exciting day! Our young leaders are dressed to impress and heading to Arlington National Cemetery.
We will go live with our wreath laying at 11:15am. (Click HERE for the wreath laying video)
Stay tuned for today’s adventures.
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3/8/2023 9:50am
Wreath security…..
Joseph Thompson- Post 25 District 7
Elyse Pope- Post 405 District 5
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3/8/2023 11:19am
Today, The Department of Ohio has the honor of placing our wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Our young leaders selected to place the wreath are Aiden Bryant- Post 450 District 4 and Emma Trimble- Post 25 District 7. Accompanying them for the honor of placing the wreath is Department 1st Vice Commander Jason Rue and Department Auxiliary 1st Vice President Jane Ridenour.
“Here rests in honored glory an American Soldier known but to God”
– Tomb of the Unknown
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3/8/2023 7pm
It’s a wrap on Day 3 for our young leaders, and it was jam packed.
We started off with a visit to the Iwo Jima Memorial, then on to Arlington National Cemetery. After lunch, we went the the White House visitor center, National Archives, Smithsonian American History Museum, headed back to Capitol Hill to meet with Congressman Warren Davidson, FDR, MLK and Thomas Jefferson (TJ’s house) memorials. Then we finished the night by stopping at the Kennedy Center observation deck, Hard Rock Cafe for dinner, and the National American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
Today’s teachers were Luke, Sarah, Isaac, Michael, Emily, Nicholas and Lizzy.
Last day in Washington DC is tomorrow before we head home on Friday. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s adventure!
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3/9/2023 7pm
Day 4 has come and gone for our young leaders. Tomorrow, we will be heading home.
Today, we visited the Marine Corps Museum, George Washington’s Mt. Vernon, National Museum of the US Army, Pentagon Memorial, stopped to say hello to Einstein, and then ended the night with a home cooked meal from our family at American Legion Post 8 and Post 2 in Washington DC.
I think we saw all there was to see in Washington DC. We came, we saw, we conquered.
We still have 1 more adventure on our trip home.
Stay tuned!
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3/10/2023 8am
For the final time…. Good morning Legionnaires, ladies and gentlemen. Our amazing group of young leaders are headed home. We will be stopping at Flight 93 before we make it back to Columbus.
Prayers for safe travels. We have one final adventure.
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3/10/2023 11:58am
Our final stop…. Flight 93. Our final teacher…. Ryan.
Words can’t describe the Flight 93 Memorial. Very emotional.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney said it best. “I think an act of heroism just took place on that plane.”
“A common field one day, a field of honor forever.”
Next stop, home.
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The time has finally come. Our 2023 young leaders have been returned safely to their parents. This week was a long, yet fulfilling week.
These young leaders really are the future, and will do great things.
Lauren, Elyse, Molly, Aiden, Lizzy, Luke, Sarah, Joseph, Hannah, Nicholas, Isaac, Michael, Tatum, Ryan, Emily, Emma and Daniel….. you are all absolutely amazing, respectful, professional, and funny. Thank you for enjoying the “great ideas” and “sound offs”.
You made this trip so enjoyable for us, and words cannot describe how proud of you we are! Thanks for being one of the best! We hope you had fun.
John Glenn once said, “The most important thing we can do is inspire young minds.” I have no doubt you will inspire the future generations.
Very respectfully,
Christie and the Chaperone Gang
Also, thank you to this year’s Chaperones who accompanied our Young Leaders; Dave Ridenour- Buckeye Boys State President, Jane Ridenour- Auxiliary 1st Vice President, Becky Corbin- Department Fiscal Secretary, Christie White- Department Americanism and Children & Youth Coordinator, Kevin- Cardinal Transportation, Stan Oren – Americanism Commission, and Jason Rue- Department 1st Vice Commander