Rep. Kendrick B. Meek Welcomes Students to Capitol Hill from Miami's Phyllis Ruth Miller Elementary School

Congressman and civil rights legend John Lewis (D-GA) and Congressman Kendrick B. Meek (D-FL) speak to Phyllis Ruth Miller Elementary School students about public service, education and civil rights

 

Washington, DC – Congressman Kendrick B. Meek welcomed Principal Lora J. Manning and 59 of her fifth grade students from Miami’s Phyllis Ruth Miller Elementary School to Capitol Hill during their 2007 Northeastern trip.

The students began their trip in Washington, DC where they visited the Smithsonian Museums, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery, George Washington’s home at Mt. Vernon and Howard University, before continuing to Philadelphia and New York.

Rep. Meek addressed the fifth graders on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and asked Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King in the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s, to discuss the importance of public service, education, and civil rights with the students.

"I hope that some of these students will return to the nation’s capital one day as public servants, but whatever career path they choose, these young people will make our community proud," said Meek. "I was very impressed with their knowledge and interest in our nation’s history and government."

Some students, remarked Principal Manning, "have never left Miami, never traveled on an airplane, and never stayed at a hotel. This trip provides students with more than an understanding of the U.S. government, and the opportunity to learn about U.S. history firsthand—it makes their world much bigger and shows them that they have many possibilities for their futures."

"Washington, DC is nothing like I ever expected," said Kia Archer, 11, of North Miami. "The monuments were an incredible highlight."

Phyllis Ruth Miller Elementary is a Montessori Magnet School located in Miami, Florida. Phyllis Ruth Miller was a member of the Miami-Dade County School Board from 1978 to 1980.

Congressman Kendrick B. Meek represents the 17th Congressional District, which includes parts of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. He serves on House Committee on Ways and Means, and the House Armed Services Committee.

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