Arnett gets all sorts of questions. In the fall of 1998, Arnett hooked up with the Iowa Communications Network or ICN to reach students unable to travel to Des Moines. Instead, they take a virtual tour of the Capitol. Arnett gives the hour-long presentation from an ICN room in the Lucas Building. It includes a 25-minute video produced by Iowa Public Television.
Students get to see close-ups of the ceilings and certain building designs.
So far, nearly 5,000 upper-elementary school students have taken the interactive tour. But as popular as it's been, it will probably never replace the trip to Des Moines. Stopping by one of the flag display cases, the mood turns somber. Arnett recounts how many Iowans lost their lives in battle, some younger than the students. The old worn and tattered flags need to be preserved, she tells them.