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Explore our experiential civics programs!
Since 1971, more than one million students and educators have participated in Close Up programs. Our mission is to inspire young people to find their unique voice and help them develop the skills and awareness they need to be engaged citizens for life.
Join us to make lasting memories as you interact with the people, places, and institutions that shape our nation, and discover how your voice can make an impact on American democracy.
We make government relatable and teachable.
Are you looking to build on the interest young people showed in this past election season? Close Up is engaging youth nationwide through our Premier Election Series programs in Washington, our Teaching with Disciplined Nonpartisanship professional development for educators, and our ongoing national and local deliberation opportunities for students.
Close Up is a positive experience for students…
seeing themselves as having the power to influence the democratic process.
I learned that there’s a huge network of people with the same goals and drive as me…
and that our collaboration really could make a difference. It gave me hope for the future of our communities and our nation!
I think Close Up’s virtual program is an amazing experience…
I plan to introduce Close Up’s professional development to the teachers I work with…
and use this as a part of my school’s requirement that students take action on issues of local, national, and international importance.