On November 6-9, 2013, the seventh graders of Providence Christian School of Texas toured a few of Texas’s most famous sites in Austin, San Antonio, and the Houston area. After studying their significance earlier this year, the historical sites proved to be realistic visuals for the class.  The students first stopped in Austin, the capital of Texas. Their tour began with Texas’s elegant, 1888 Capitol building constructed of limestone and granite. They viewed the authentic courtrooms and the famous statues of Sam Houston and Davy Crocket. The class discovered interesting facts about the Texas government. In addition, the students toured the magnificent Texas State Cemetery, visiting many legendary Texans’ graves. The cemetery originated as the burial place of Edward Burleson, a general and vice-president of Texas, but expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War. The students enjoyed hearing stories about the famous Texans from the 1800s. To end the day in Austin, the seventh graders enjoyed an evening bat cruise on the Colorado River and observed thousands of bats take flight.  

On the second day, the students traveled to the Natural Bridge Caverns in the San Antonio area, which are extraordinary caverns extending hundreds of feet below the surface.  The students toured this natural phenomenon and were captivated by the unique rock formations beneath the earth’s surface. Later that day, the students visited the famous Alamo where William Barrett Travis wrote in his letter the legendary words “Victory or Death!” The seventh graders were privileged to recite Travis’s Letter in front of the Alamo and hear stories of the courageous men who fought there. Later that evening, they enjoyed the San Antonio Riverwalk cruise. 

The third day, the seventh grade class visited the Gonzales Courthouseand County Jail.  In Gonzales, they viewed the authentic “Come and Take It” cannon that began the first battle of the Texas Revolution in 1835. The class spent the remaining part of the day at the NASA Space Center in Houston. At the space center, they enjoyed the shuttle simulator and the DaVinci exhibit. 

On the final day, the seventh graders toured the San Jacinto Monument. Ascending to the top of the monument, they observed the battlegrounds where the Battle of San Jacinto took place. Next, the students traveled to a World War II Battleship Texas, and surveyed the rooms inside, including kitchens, doctors’ offices, and the enlisted men’s quarters. 

For the Providence seventh graders, the trip enhanced the students’ knowledge of Texas history. While visiting the many historical sites in Texas, the students enjoyed spending time with fellow classmates and touring the beautiful state of Texas.

Sophia Love and Emma Kackley are Class Seven students at Providence Christian School of Texas.