;

In 2026, to mark the Semiquincentennial of the United States, Close Up—supported by the U.S. Department of Education—launched NextGen Roundtable: America 250, a growing initiative to encourage a deeper understanding of our constitutional republic and its guiding principles.
Together with the Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab and our university partners nationwide, we are engaging high school students and educators through classroom curriculum, online seminars with historians and thought leaders, professional development training, and regional and national deliberative events. The goal? To equip students to carry out the deliberative processes of democracy as envisioned by America’s founders.
What is NextGen Roundtable: America 250?
This initiative engages high school students in thoughtful conversations about our founding principles, political values, and modern policy issues. We do this through: