The 50 eighth graders from Altona Middle School in Longmont, Colorado were the same group President Obama mentioned Friday night after a deal was reached to avoid a government shutdown.
A concerned parent, Shalini Schane, sent him a letter last week, worried the trip would be canceled if the shutdown went through.
"She asked those of us in Washington to get past our petty grievances and make things right," Obama said Friday.
That prompted the president to invite them to the White House.
"Now that things worked out, we figured we'd give you a little bonus," Obama told the students He greeted them on the South Lawn of the White House.
With more budget battles in store, Obama told the students and their teachers that education remains a priority and is an area where he wants to increase investments, not make cuts.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
