I was given a scholarship to attend former Governor Jeb Bush's Excellence in Education Conference in Washington DC during September 2010. I was provided with three paid nights hotel downtown DC right up the road from the White House, free meals along with $500 for transportation. The cost of roundtrip airfare from Manchester, NH to DC was a little less than $600. Since they were willing to pay for mileage and it would take me about 60 gallons of gas or about $ 225 counting tolls I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and drive.

While in DC I attended all the schedule events, programs and dinners. I actively participated and was invited to sit at one of the three head tables. I sat with the CEO of the private corporation high schools in Finland, and James Carville.

I took an extra day going down to DC and visited lighthouses in Connecticut and then took an extra to make it home stopping on the way to visit lighthouses in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York. I spent a night in a rest area both ways. Total cost of trip was about $350 so I had my expenses covered.