;
Stay engaged after election day!
The 2024 presidential election has created unprecedented interest, personal investment, and civic engagement among young people. What issues in the presidential agenda have inspired youth to get involved? And how can we keep our girls active and engaged after Election Day?
From February 16-19, 2025, Close Up and the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) will partner for parallel nationwide summits for high school students and educators in Washington, D.C., harnessing the energy of the new president’s first months in office. Empowering Girls’ Voices: The President’s First 100 Days will help girls of all backgrounds share their own policy priorities, develop empathy for the perspectives of others, and build the skills and confidence to be strong civic leaders.
The student summit is open to high school girls in grades 9-12 who have an interest in civic engagement and action, with a cohort of 6-10 students per school recommended. Major components include:
The student summit will culminate in the Empowering Girls’ Voices Civic Action Symposium, with girls sharing selected policy proposals with a panel of female leaders and policymakers.
Educators are invited to join us for a concurrent, four-day professional development summit, built on Close Up’s 50+ years of experience and focused on giving girls the skills to engage with different perspectives and lead from a place of consensus. Major components include:
Dates: Both summits will run from Sunday, February 16, to Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
Location: The summits will take place at a hotel in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Student Eligibility: The student summit is open to all high school girls in grades 9-12 who have an interest in civic engagement and action. We anticipate most schools will bring a cohort of 6-10 girls; however, individual registrations are permitted. If you would like to offer this opportunity to a larger class or club, please reach out to us about capacity.
Student Tuition: The all-inclusive tuition is $1,550 per student. This covers all summit sessions, evening activities, meals, hotel accommodations, and daytime and nighttime supervision and security. *Optional early arrival: $325 per participant.
Educator Tuition: The tuition is $1,750 per educator. This covers all professional development sessions, some meals, and hotel accommodations. *Optional early arrival: $325 per participant.
Important Payment Dates:
Six-Day Program
Four-Day Program
Close Up is a positive experience for students…
seeing themselves as having the power to influence the democratic process.
Close Up brought me CLOSER to politics…
the entire notion no longer seemed obscure. I became very involved in politics on the local and national level.
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 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.