For the third year in a row, the seniors went on a field trip to the Capitol building in Topeka for their Government class. The trip included a tour of the Capitol building, as well as an additional dome tour for those who wanted to see the dome. During the tour, students learned about the history of the building itself and the state of Kansas. 

“I got to learn, visually, about the capitol,” Reagan Ebenkamp said. “[My favorite part was] going to the top of the dome because I like heights.”

In the past, the trip has been in the spring, but this year the trip was in the fall. Students left at 6 a.m. to make their tour at 9 a.m. This year has also had the largest class so far, causing the drive to feel longer as seating was crammed. Even though it is a long drive to Topeka, some students said they found the trip worth the effort. 

“It brightened people’s perspectives on life because it got them out of Conway,” Austin Doffing said. “The stairway to the top is scary, but it’s worth taking the time to go to the top and look around.”

Throughout this trip, the seniors learned about the structure of the building and the artwork put into it. In addition, students had the opportunity to visit Kansas’ executive and legislative branch. After the trip, social studies teacher Craig Frederick reflected on the goal of the trip and his ambitions for the students. 

“To some students, this is a one-time deal, and I think that everyone should do something like this at least once in their lifetime,” he said. “I hope students will gain knowledge about our state and the way our reps work so they have an idea where the people who run their everyday lives work. It’s part of our history, too. It leads to who we are, and it’s nice to see government first-hand than just reading about it in a textbook.”