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An Ely Memorial High School tradition, now 30 years old, goes on this week even amid some change.
The annual senior class trip to Washington, D.C. is underway and runs through Monday, continuing a tradition started in 1995, when Frank Ivancich was a young social studies teacher in Ely.
Ivancich retired last spring, but he’s helping to lead a group of 39 Ely seniors and four from neighboring Northeast Range again.
Ivancich is mentoring the teacher who filled his job, Nick Bates, and is joined by Northeast Range teacher Aaron Donais and longtime D.C. trip leader and retired teacher Rob Simonich.
“They are really leading the group,” Ivancich said of Bates and Donais. “I’ll do some mentoring and I said when I retired that I would continue to do the trip to give Nick a chance along with Aaron, who has been on this trip a few times. I still enjoy getting out there and it’s kind of one of those things that never gets old.” Before departing this week, Ivancich indicated that this year’s trip will be like many of the previous ones, complete with a visit on the U.S. Capitol steps and anticipated visits with U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R) and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) and Tina Smith (D).
“Thursday morning we’re headed straight to the Capitol,” said Ivancich. “We’re going to do a tour that was arranged through Representative Stauber’s office, and we’re hoping to meet with him as well as our Senate delegation.”
The g roup d eparted Wednesday evening and Thursday’s capitol stop was only the beginning of a whirlwind.
Stops at the Library of Congress and Ford’s Theater were also part of Thursday’s schedule, while on Friday the group was set to go to Mount Vernon, the estate of late President George Washington, as well as Arlington National Century and various museums.
Saturday’s slate includes a visit to the National Air and Space Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and an evening performance of “Shear Madness” at the Kennedy Center.
In recent years, the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg, PA has been part of the tour and it’s on the docket again Sunday.
The group will visit the National Cathedral Monday morning before departing for the airport and the return flight to Minnesota.
More than 1,000 seniors and chaperones have taken the trek through the years, seeing the various sights in Washington and beyond.
The trip originally was the brainchild of Jeff Anderson, who was a high school senior in 1995.
Anderson, who is now a lobbyist, has also been part of each trip and has played a key role in scheduling and coordinating the tour. The former Elyite, who now lives in Duluth, has had stints as a Congressional aide, candidate for Congress, Congressional campaign staffer, lobbyist and city council member.
Through the years, and with Anderson’s help, the Ely delegation has met with Stauber, Klobuchar and Smith, as well as former representatives ranging from Chip Cravaack, Rick Nolan and Mark Dayton to the late Rod Grams, Paul Wellstone and Jim Oberstar.
The trip has taken place every year except from 20202022, when the Covid-19 pandemic and various restrictions prompted decisions to cancel.
Students pay over $1,000 to go on the trip, although they have the opportunity to offset some of those costs via fundraisers including a recent raffle.
The group will return this week perhaps a bit tired, but with memories that figure to last a lifetime.
“I know I’m excited to get back out there,” said Ivancich. “There always seems to be something new. It looks like the cherry blossoms will be at their peak. It’s going to be a great time.”
