<I>Contributed Photo/Kathi Springer</I><BR>Prairie City School students and staff are preparing for their big trip to Washington, D.C. this summer. Back row, from left: Zane Stewart, Shawna Clark, Rachelle Hill, Tisha Packard, Kailey Kell and Andy Demko. Front row, from left: Chenise Mutchler, Derek Kell, Jessie Long, Krystin Packard, Kristy Madsen and Audra Clark.

PRAIRIE CITY – Some Prairie City kids are getting ready for a trip to the nation’s capital this summer.

Social studies teacher Andy Demko will lead 10 students on a historical tour of the Washington, D.C. area June 9-13.

The itinerary for the long-anticipated, “PC to DC” trip includes such locations as: Arlington National Cemetery, Ford’s Theater, Jamestown, Mt. Vernon, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, Colonial Williamsburg, the White House, and the U.S. Capitol.

Students planning on the trip are: Krystin Packard, grade 6; Chenise Mutchler, grade 6; Kailey Kell, grade 6; Audra Clark, grade 7; Kristy Madsen, grade 7; Zane Stewart, grade 7; Rachelle Hill, grade 7; Derek Kell, grade 8; Jessie Long, grade 10; and Tynon Callahan.

Demko and two chaperones – Tisha Packard, resource room staff, and Rick Callahan, a math teacher – will accompany and supervise the students on the trip. Four adults -Shawna Clark, Ron Kell, Candy Reagan and Donna Clark – also are going on the trip.

Demko, who has already been to Washington twice for workshops, has taught social studies at Prairie City School since 2000. He was honored by the Oregon Council for the Social Studies as the 2006 Oregon Outstanding Social Studies Educator of the Year. A co-founder of the Camp Logan Days program, he also initiated Prairie City School History Club’s application to join the National History Club.

The school has been holding fund-raisers such as pizza and candy sales, and can and bottle recycling drives to raise money for the trip. For more information on the fund-raisers or sponsoring a student, call Demko at the school, 820-3314.