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Brian Tothero & his mentee Lisbeth Valencia at Key Elementary School Each week, nine members of the armed forces and the U.S. Department of Defense/Joint Chiefs of Staff make their way to Key Elementary School to read with students in the Power Lunch Program. On April 19th, 50 Key students got to opportunity to see where their Reading Mentors spend each work day and traveled to the Pentagon for a guided tour. A visit to the Pentagon is far from an everyday occurrence. LTC Jesse Cruz of the Department of Defense/Joint Chiefs of Staff planned the tour and obtained clearences so that 50 students in grades two through five as well as Reading Mentors, EW!DC staff members, and Key Elementary School’s Assistant Principal Evelyn Fernandez were able to attend. Once inside the building, the students marveled at the wide range of stores and amenities they passed. From chocolate shops to drugstores, the Pentagon really has it all! The first stop of the visit took place in the outdoor courtyard, where Pentagon employees often gather to eat lunch. Students gathered around picnic tables and enjoyed their lunches. The highlight of the session came when several of the mentors lined up and played a game with the students that required them to guess which uniforms represented which branch of the armed forces. The students had some good guesses! The Reading Mentors then answered questions from the curious students pertaining to their job duties in the military. Next on the agenda was the actual tour of the building. Tour guides led the students and chaperones, through the hallways of the Pentagon, giving details on all the interesting features along the way (including paintings and weaponry hanging on the walls, various rooms, etc.). In the chapel dedicated to September 11, 2001, the students were able to observe the names of the victims and get a glimpse of the outdoor memorial. The tour guides were happy to answer the students’ many questions pertaining to various aspects of life at the Pentagon, and the students came away from the tour with a much broader knowledge of the work performed there. The trip was a fun and informative experience for students, Reading Mentors, and chaperones alike. Key’s Power Lunch students got to see where some of their mentors work and to see the inside of a building most people don’t get to enter – and no one got left behind in the Pentagon’s maze-like hallways!
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