DC STORM, Inc. College Tour to Hampton Roads, Virginia…
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September, 2020 The Southwester
D.C. STORM Safely Tours Hampton Roads During COVID-19
BY TYLIL FRAIZER, NARDO HOPKINS, MICHAEL JOHNSON, AND BRIAN JACKSON (RISING 8TH GRADERS)
On July 17, DC STORM, Inc. (Student Taught Organization and Respect through Mentoring) traveled with 14 group members to the Hampton Roads Area of Virginia for an Educational/College tour and returned on July 19. The funds for the tour were provided by the Friends of Southwest D.C. The state of Virginia was in Phase 3 of the pandemic at the time. Group leaders Jay Shorter, John Smith, and Ronald Hines kept all the activities COVID-19 freely maintaining social distancing and keeping the D.C. STORM out of areas where they may have been in contact with other people. They were also given masks and told to wear them at all times by the staff of D.C. STORM. The group traveled in two 15-passenger vans which provided lots of room for everyone. All the meals were either delivered or group leaders drove out to get food. Group members ate all their meals in the hotel or outside under the cool trees. STORM visited the Nauticus Museum, but unfortunately most of the areas were closed. The museum did, however, allow them to climb on board the USS Wisconsin Battleship, where they got to see how naval personnel lived on board. D.C. STORM also visited the campuses of Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Hampton University, and Virginia Beach Higher Education Center. The college campuses were empty, which gave them an opportunity to walk around and see the schools’ facilities and get a sense of how large each of the campuses were. On the Hampton University campus, the group had a chance to climb on the Emancipation Oak Tree. The Emancipation Oak Tree is historic and designated as one of the 10 Greatest Trees in the World, according to the National Geographic Society. The tree is where Mary Smith Peake taught up to 50 children during the day and 20 adults at night during slavery. In 1863, the Black community gathered under the oak to hear the reading of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which led to the old tree earning its nickname as the Emancipation Oak. An old log cabin also sits near the famous oak. For fun, the group visited a park in Chesapeake, Virginia where they played basketball. The park was mostly empty, giving the members of STORM a chance to run around and have fun. D.C. STORM, Inc. appreciates the funding the Friends of Southwest DC provided for this historic trip. STORM members needed this trip to get out of the house, learn some new facts about history, and to have some fun. Thanks to the Friends of Southwest D.C.!
Courtesy of Jay Shorter D.C. Storm visits the USS Wisconsin Battleship
