St. John’s High School sophomore Elizabeth Winhover, left, and senior Tricia Warnecke were awarded an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and Gettysburg, Pa., as two of the 18 top winners of the American Legion Americanism Test.

Jerry White, director of Americanism and Youth Activities at American Legion Headquarters in Delaware visited St. John’s High School Wednesday morning to brief Winhover and Warnecke on the award they will share with 16 other Ohio students: a five-day, all-expense-paid trip to Gettysburg, Pa., and Washington, D.C., March 4-9. Winners have been taking the trip since the program was started by the Ohio American Legion in 1936. To date, only Indiana and Wisconsin have joined in with similar versions.

“This isn’t your usual high school trip to Washington, D.C.,” White said. “It’s first and foremost an educational trip. You’ll get to see and do some things that most high school students and even most citizens will never get to.”