Recently, Rhodes Elementary School sixth-grader Nabil Chaudhry and his fifth-grade teacher, James Gemma, got the experience of a lifetime when Gemma was asked by the Center for Civic Education to represent Rhode Island in Washington, D.C., for Constitution Day, along with one student.

The center is a “a non-profit, nonpartisan educational organization dedicated to promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy in the U.S.,” according to their description.

“Nabil is responsible, very studious, mature and respectful,” Gemma said. “That’s why I chose him as the student representative. We were the only elementary school chosen to go, and at 11 years old, Nabil was the youngest student there.”

The trip, which took place earlier this fall, was one both Gemma and Chaudhry say they’ll remember for a lifetime.

“I was very excited to be asked,” Chaudhry said. “I had been to Washington, D.C., for President Obama’s inauguration, and we have family in Virginia, but I hadn’t been there other than that.”

On the first day of the whirlwind 36-hour trip, the pair were part of a discussion with their senators and representatives about Project Citizen, which Gemma’s class had been part of the previous year. The project tackled the issue of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, in foods. Project Citizen is sponsored by the Center for Civic Education.

“The next morning, the teachers and students from 46 states took the Preamble Challenge, reciting the Preamble to the Constitution on front of a fountain at the national Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism,” Gemma said. “From there, I went to the Newseum for a press conference with the adults.”

Chaudhry had a different agenda.

“I got to see the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Magna Charter and the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives. It was really cool, and while we were there, we got to see people being sworn in as citizens because it was the 225th anniversary of the Constitution,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse had the opportunity to meet with both Gemma and Chaudhry, and spoke not only about their Project Citizen project, but also about some local Rhode Island history.

“We also got to meet with [U.S. Rep.] Jim Langevin and one of his staff members who brought us down to the underground tunnels,” Chaudhry said.

The Library of Congress was another favorite stop on the trip, as was seeing Thomas Jefferson’s Library, but one of the top highlights was when Chaudhry witnessed the voting session for a bill from the floor of the House of Representatives.

“I got to meet a bunch of representatives and [U.S. Rep.] Nancy Pelosi. I was the only person who got to go out on the floor because I was under 12,” he said. “Being out there was very overwhelming. There were a bunch of senators all talking, trying to get order on the floor. The Republicans were screaming ‘No’ and the Democrats were screaming, ‘Yes.’”

Gemma couldn’t believe his eyes when he realized that Chaudhry had been led out onto the actual floor of the House.

“It was amazing. His mom, his grandma and I could see him out there on the floor,” Gemma said. “We also got to see an ISIS hearing and listen to [Secretary of State John] Kerry’s speech about it in the Congressional Hearing Room.”

On the final night, the pair, along with the other state representatives, were treated to a dinner where special “guests” included Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison and John Adams – costumed actors circulating through the room among the honorees.

“They did a skit about the Constitution. It was very well done,” Gemma said.

Although the trip flew by in what seemed like a heartbeat, both Gemma and Chaudhry believe that they will remember it for a lifetime.

To see more details about the events, visit the Civics Renewal Network at www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/civics-renewal-network-launches-on-constitution-day.