National Youth Impact Summit

Each applicant is asked to provide contact and demographic information, answer a short essay prompt, and submit a teacher recommendation. We encourage students to apply as soon as possible. Space is limited and applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.  

• Early Application Deadline: April 21, 2023
• Early Acceptance Notification: May 5, 2023
• Regular Application Deadline: May 5, 2023 – Rolling admissions

Registration and deposit will be due within two weeks of acceptance notification.

Students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th  grade with an interest in current events, government, and/or public policy.

Program days typically run from 9:00am – 11:00pm. Students will engage in a variety of academic and social activities and programming, in both large-group and small-group activities facilitated by Close Up instructors. Large-group activities will include a combination of lectures, seminars, and keynote speakers. In small groups, students will work on projects to present at the end of the program. Students will also have the opportunity to explore the nation’s capital and visit important sites such as monuments, memorials, and museums.

The tuition covers all program components, lodging, and meals. 

Students will stay at a hotel in the Washington, DC, metro area. There will be two students per room and each student will have their own bed. Students will be assigned a roommate at registration, but we will consider student roommate requests in advance.

You can learn more about Close Up staff here. All Close Up instructional staff are college graduates; have received over 120 hours of curriculum training; are trained in CPR, AED, and First Aid; and are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Close Up staff have experience working with diverse student groups in and around the DC area. Close Up partners with several leading health care providers, including Georgetown University Children’s Medical Center (GUCMC), to ensure that students have access to quality health care should they get sick while on program.  

Close Up will be utilizing its extensive 50 years of experience in programming for high school students to oversee the supervision of the students. While we do maintain close supervision of students, this is a pre-college program that encourages students to be independent and reach out to staff as they need support. As responsible young adults, it is important to note that students may not be supervised at all times, such as during unstructured time.

Close Up and NNSP are deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and providing scholarships and financial aid for those who qualify based on family income. Applicants must apply for financial aid within the program application.  

The Close Up Foundation is  a  nonprofit,  nonpartisan  civic  education  organization  dedicated  to  helping students  develop  the  knowledge  and  skills  they  need  to  become  informed,  active,  and  engaged  citizens.  Each year, Close Up helps thousands of students and teachers across the nation engage in civil discourse and take informed action in their communities.

The Deliberative Democracy Lab at Stanford University is devoted  to  research  about  democracy  and  public  opinion  obtained  through Deliberative  Polling.  The  method  of  Deliberative  Polling  has  been  used  in  30  countries  around  the  world  through  over  110  projects, at varying levels of government and society.  

NNSP serves its members by providing implementation support, thought leadership, and advocacy. NNSP believes collaboration and partnerships are central to a strategy for improving equity in educational opportunities. NNSP thrives on the diversity of its members, which include organizations such as public, charter, and private schools; educational access and enrichment programs; and policy and education reform groups.