May 12, 2008

CMS 8th graders travel to California during spring break

STAFF REPORTS

CENTRE – California, there they came. A group of 8th grade students from Centre Middle School, along with several parents and family members, traveled to the Golden State over the spring break holiday. After returning, Dianne Ledbetter, who traveled with the group, sent in several photos of various groups of children and adults posing with The Post at landmarks they encountered along their journey. She also sent in a three-page recap of the trip and asked that we include the story in The Post. We were glad to oblige.

Ledbetter said the group traveled to Atlanta on April 12 to catch their flight out west, spending the previous night in the city so they could make their early departure. That evening they all dined at Ruby Tuesday's, where the kids bet their waiter one of the boys in the group couldn't eat all the food he had ordered.

“They waiter lost and was forced to perform 10 push-ups right there in the restaurant,” Ledbetter said.

She said the group also met rapper Bubba Sparxxx in the restaurant, who was gracious enough to sign autographs and pose for photos.

The flight the following morning was the first for many of the middle school students, Ledbetter said. After arriving in San Francisco, the group was met by tour director Adrian DaSilva.

“Adrian has been out tour leaders for four previous Centre Middle School trips over the years,” Ledbetter explained.

Ledbetter said the weather was “unusually warm” for San Francisco, so the group enjoyed visits to China Town and Union Square in the Sunday sunshine. After lunch in a Chinese restaurant, the group from Centre met up with 14 middle school students from Indian Lake High School in upstate New York who were to be their travel companions for the week.

“Indian Lake is a rural area even smaller than Centre,” Ledbetter said.

On Monday, the group spent the day touring San Francisco, including taking in a view of the entire city from Twin Peaks, a visit to the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street and Pier 39. They also took a ferry ride to Alcatraz for a tour of the infamous former prison, and later in the evening enjoyed a cable car ride where they met a family from Cullman.

The group spent Tuesday “traveling the wonderful countryside of California to Los Angeles,” Ledbetter said, making stops along the way in Salinas -- “We needed to go to Wal-Mart!” -- San Luis Obispo, and dining at an In-and-Out Burger.

“We also got to stick out feet in the Pacific Ocean,” Ledbetter said. “Then, we visited the Santa Barbara Mission, which the students had read about in the 6th grade from the book 'Island of the Blue Dolphins'.”

That evening the group dined at an Italian restaurant before retiring to their rooms to relax with games of cards and charades.

Wednesday in Los Angeles, the group joined another tour guide for visits to Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, the Kodak Theatre and numerous other sites throughout the city.

“The kids really enjoyed putting their handprints insides the prints on the sidewalks at Mann's Chinese Theater and looking for their favorite stars on the Walk of Fame,” Ledbetter said.

That evening, the group visited Venice Beach, and rode a ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier that was for sale on eBay.

On Thursday, Ledbetter said the group spent the entire day at Universal Studios.
 
“Our first stop was the movie sets,” she said. “We enjoyed seeing those.”

Ledbetter said they saw the Bates Motel from the movie “Psycho,” sets from Jim Carrey's “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “War of the Worlds,” “Jaws,” and the street set for the ABC series “Desperate Housewives.”

“We couldn't go down the street because they were filming,” she said.

Ledbetter said the kids enjoyed the many attractions at Universal Studios, including a 3-D show featuring Shrek in which several kids from the group were able to participate in a special effects stage show. They also met actor Peter Allen Vogt, who played the neighbor on “Hanna Montana.” They group took lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, and waited several hours for autographs from Maria Carey, who was scheduled to appear at the park. They had to leave before she finally arrived.

The group spent Friday preparing for the return to Cherokee County, but not before a stop at the J. Paul Getty Museum (www.getty.edu).

“They have a terrific view of the city of Los Angeles,” Ledbetter said.

The group flew back into Atlanta on Saturday, April 19 and returned home.

“It's always fun, educational and enlightening to travel to other parts of our wonderful country,” Ledbetter said. “But it's also great to see the county line, and the city limits signs of home!”