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Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue met 25 S.L. Mason Elementary School students Thursday.

Carolyn Dow took her second grade class to Atlanta to tour the Georgia Capitol, visit with the governor and check out the Georgia Aquarium.

In September, Dow applied for a grant through Target. Out of 25,000 applicants, Dow was one of those selected to receive $800 to be used towards a field trip.

Georgia Performance Standards require that second graders know the role of the governor in the state and the function of the legislature among other Georgia facts, Dow said.

The field tip to Atlanta served as an opportunity to bring that classroom knowledge to life.

The one-day trip began at 6:15 a.m. when the students and chaperones departed from Valdosta.

The Georgia Aquarium was the first stop on the trip. After learning about sea life and seeing sharks and other marine life up close and personal, the group headed to the Gold Dome.

There they were greeted by Perdue. The students presented the governor with a goody bag full of Valdosta City School System paraphernalia.

Meeting the governor was a highlight for many students.

“It was neat to meet a person who is really, really important, especially because they work all the time and it is hard to meet with them,” said Sarah Wehling-Hassouna, student.

Others were more interested in lunch.

“I liked it when we got to eat lunch because I was starving,” said Jhymarion Greene, student.

Afterward, the students met Rep. Amy Carter, D-Valdosta, who took them down to the legislative floor and showed them were she worked.

Others enjoyed finding Miss Freedom perched on top of the capitol building as they made their way into Atlanta.

The statue weighs about a ton and holds a torch in her right hand in remembrance of Georgian’s who have lost their lives in war. In her other hand she holds a sword, a symbol of the military protection of the state.

To wrap up the trip, the students visited the Georgia Capitol Museum and Hall of Valor.

The grant paid for almost all of the trip and was especially helpful in covering the cost of transportation, Dow said.

The Target Field Trip Grants program has awarded 7,400 grants totaling more than $2 million to educators in all 50 states. Each applicant can receive up to $800 to fund student field trips.