People across the nation celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday. Though, school and government offices were closed, students at the Hillel Community Day School still gathered to learn more about his fight for civil rights. 

Julia Sakowski and Nili Kimmilik are a part of a small group of 7th graders who took a trip down to Alabama. The school trip made stops in Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma to learn about social injustice and segregation. 

“I liked learning about what Rosa Parks and Dr. King did,” said Nili Kimmilik. “It was really cool to see how they made a difference in the world.”

The annual spring trip allows students to see history in person. On the itinerary were stops at the Rosa Park Museum, The Civil Rights Institute, and even walk over the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. 

Julia Sakowski said, “That was really powerful because that’s where Martin Luther King, Jr. walked.”

The school hopes to continue making trips to Alabama every year in honor of Dr. King so students understand the importance of the role in he played in the civil rights movement.

Throughout the day, students also met with community leaders and placed “kindness rocks” throughout the community with messages of peace and love.