10/1/25
While Episcopal High School is well-known for its unmatched ability to harness the incredible national resources of Washington, D.C., just seven miles from our campus, there are also phenomenal local resources even closer to home that add important perspectives for EHS students. Recently, Episcopal had the opportunity to bring together the national and local to create a uniquely special learning experience for our ninth-grade students.
For the past several years, all ninth graders at EHS take the required one-semester course “Civics in the 21st Century,” which introduces our students to essential Civics subjects such as the U.S. Constitution, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism, which is how power is shared between the national government and local governments.
On Wednesday, October 1, the entire freshman class had the exciting opportunity to bring these important topics to life (especially the crucial concept of federalism) on the first-ever “EHS Ninth Grade Civics Day,” where they visited Alexandria City Hall to learn about our local government, and the U.S. Supreme Court to learn about our national government.
EHS Ninth Grade Civics Day started with a short drive to Old Town Alexandria for an informative session at City Hall with the City of Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Councilman Kirk McPike. The mayor spoke to the students about her own personal journey to the Office of the Mayor, and her important roles and responsibilities as the mayor of the city in which Episcopal High School is located. She also took many insightful questions from the students, who had prepared for the meeting in their Civics classes by studying how local governments work and how they differ from the national government.
Ealian K. ’29 said, “I enjoyed the meeting with the mayor and how she is trying to make Alexandria a better place.” Caroline C. ’29 added, “I learned so much about general political topics around Alexandria. It is so nice to know more about my surroundings now that I live in Alexandria.”
After visiting City Hall, the students made the quick bus ride across the Potomac River for a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court. At the court, they experienced the full grandeur of the “highest Court in the land” with a private session in the courtroom for a 30-minute lesson about the Court from a Supreme Court docent, followed by a Q&A session with one of the Supreme Court Associate Justices. The students were well-prepared for this visit, having studied the purpose and function of the Judiciary Branch, the U.S. Dual Court System, and the landmark U.S. Supreme Court Case Marbury v. Madison, which established the enduring principle of judicial review.
“It was really an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Lila G. ’29 said. “We hear so often, on the news or from those around us, about this impending ruling or that case making its way to the Court, or in history class about certain landmark decisions, and it was incredible to be there ourselves. Overall, I felt that the experience really brought the material we had spent the last weeks learning to life.”
View the photos here.
