CAPITAL TOUR REWARD FOR JACKSON STUDENTS

JACKSON -- For the past two summers, geography teacher Tammy Brotherton has taken a group of Jackson Middle School students to see the monuments at their nation's capital. Both times, their favorite stop has been Arlington National Cemetery.

There, four of the students lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solder.

"It's solemn, a tear jerker," Brotherton says. "It's very emotional."

Brotherton was among 22 teachers and parents who supervised 50 seventh-graders during three nights and four days in Washington, D.C., last June. They bused to St. Louis, flew to Baltimore and then were bused to Washington.

The first year they met U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and last summer were given a tour of the U.S. House of Representatives by a member of her staff.

The students who go are usually the best behaved and high achievers. "We do take sign-ups but some kids eliminate themselves because of behavior at school or not achieving up to their potential," Brotherton says.

"It usually works out that the ones that haven't gotten into trouble get to go.

The students organize fund raisers during the school year to help pay for the trip. Some students earned the entire $812 cost themselves.

Though the school has nothing to do with organizing the tour, Brotherton says the students are getting educated.

"I think they appreciate their nation's history more, and they are in awe of how great our Capitol and wonderful buildings and monuments are.

"They can be proud of our nation and capital because it is magnificent," she said.

Brotherton plans on taking another busload next summer, and physical education teacher Neil Glass has committed to supervising a busload of students himself.

"I talked him into going because I needed help," Brotherton said.