With the 2016 presidential race officially over, nine students will attend the Inauguration of the 45th president, Donald Trump, in Washington D.C. on Friday, January 20.

The students, along with chaperone and social studies teacher Gina Johnston, were featured on the local Fox News affiliate in regards to this opportunity.

According to the trip itinerary, along with seeing the president’s swearing in, students will also visit  landmarks such as the Library of Congress, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Smithsonian Institution.

“We’ll be flying out the day before the Inauguration, Thursday, January 19,” Johnston said. “We’ll be doing some sightseeing on Thursday, then on Friday we’ll be going to the inauguration. We’ll also be doing more sightseeing on Saturday and Sunday.”

Johnston added that this inauguration is important for students to watch.

“Every election is important, but for juniors and seniors they are getting closer to being able to vote. So what’s more exciting than going to see a president getting inaugurated?” Johnston said.

Upperclassmen attending the trip agree that this inauguration is an important one to attend.

“I feel since this election has been so divisive that it’s important now to come back together as a country,” senior Sean McKenna said. “Even though there are some people that don’t like him, there were also a lot of people who didn’t like Hillary so I think it’s really important to come together.”  

“I’ve been on other field trips and been on other things we’ve done through the school, and I think that the Inauguration offers more of an educational standpoint,” junior Ethan Ash said. “I’m definitely looking forward most to his [Donald Trump’s] actual speech because of my political views and I want to see what he says and see if he backs up his beliefs.”

As students prepare for Trump to be sworn in as president,  some agree that the results of the election shouldn’t matter when it comes to experiencing the inauguration.

“I think the experience of seeing anyone get inaugurated and just the experience of going to D.C. in general is great,” sophomore Marissa Helms said. “I may not be a huge Trump fan, but I do think seeing any president getting inaugurated is a big once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I’m going to take advantage of.”

“I wasn’t really rooting for either [candidate]; I’m just looking forward to the historical implications of the inauguration of any president,” junior Zach Deans said. “I signed up during the primaries so I don’t think it really matters who the president is; I’m just excited to go.”

Johnston believes that everybody should have the chance to experience an inauguration of a president.

“I know that I always wanted to go on that trip, so why not have kids be open to it,” Johnston said. “Everyone should have the chance to see the inauguration; it’s what makes our country so great. Every four years someone is elected and it’s a peaceful process, so no matter who it is it’s still amazing that we are on our 45th president.”