Our Mission: “Close Up informs, inspires, and empowers students to exercise the rights and accept the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.”Founded in 1971, Close Up is a nonprofit that educates and inspires young people to become informed and engaged citizens.
To
achieve this, we work closely with teachers, administrators, parents
and students nationwide, as well with longstanding partners and funders
such as the U.S. Congress, the Department of Education, the Department of
Interior, the Freedom Forum, C-SPAN, the Center on Congress, and Bank of
America.
We fulfill our mission mainly by providing challenging,
hands-on civic education programs for students and teachers in
Washington, DC. These programs are known for their positive impact on
student attitudes and for giving teachers valuable insights to take
back to classrooms nationwide. Using the nation’s capital as a living
classroom, participants get a “close up” view of government and
democracy in action.
Our diverse services include programs for
middle schools and high schools, as well as programs for constituencies
such as Native Americans, New Americans, and Pacific Islanders. During the
academic year, teachers typically travel with their students and
participate on our unique teacher program, sharing “best practices”
with peers. During the summer, students typically come on their own or
in small groups to participate on accelerated and theme-based programs.
Over the past four decades, Close Up has developed a teaching
method that appeals to virtually all types of students and that is
delivered by our well-trained faculty. We believe this is a major
reason why 94% of alums say that Close Up helped them better understand
their roles as citizens. Our 725,000 alums come from all walks of life
as well as every state, every territory and several countries. Many of
our teachers and students fundraise to attend; others attend thanks to
the generosity of private and public funders such as the U.S. Congress,
which has provided need-based fellowships since 1973.
We also fulfill our mission through classroom
teaching tools. The most notable is
Current Issues. This annual
textbook, now in its 34th edition, is relied on by teachers nationwide
to stimulate student debate on key policy issues. We also have produced
hundreds of TV shows that appeared on C-SPAN for over 30 years and that
feature Close Up students dialoguing with U.S. Presidents, lawmakers,
and the media.
Democracy is government for
the people by the people. At Close Up, we complement what teachers do
in classrooms nationwide so that our young people will play informed
and active roles in making the world a better place to live.
Presidents's Message | Board of Directors | Officers | Donor List
| Contact Us
| Careers