After having taken four groups of high school students to Washington D.C., I can honestly say Close Up continues to provide our students with a wonderful experience! They come home with a much greater understanding of our government, an appreciation for our history, and new friends from across the country.
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Throughout the week, students were able to experience history and government in action in a way that goes far beyond the classroom. From visiting the National Mall and important historical sites to engaging in meaningful conversations about issues impacting our nation, every part of the trip was educational, inspiring, and eye-opening.
One of the most meaningful parts of the experience was meeting students from across the country and around the world, hearing different perspectives, and building connections through shared experiences.
I’m so grateful to Close Up for creating such a well-organized, enriching, and memorable program.
Young people want to see change. It was so refreshing to see a lot of people in my deliberation were really knowledgeable. It was refreshing to see how passionate we were and how much overlap in ideas we had.
Close Up provides students with an excellent experience in D.C.. They interact with kids from across the country. They don’t just tour the sites in Washington, they dive deep into the meaning and significance of each one, with a focus on democracy citizenship. Also, their teacher program is excellent and flexible. I have learned something each time.
Throughout my time on this program, I made so many lasting friendships and heard so many different opinions on pressing matters that WE will be voting on in the upcoming elections. We learned so many lessons. From learning the valuable history of our country as it reaches 250 years of independence, to learning how to engage in thoughtful conversations even when it’s hard.
Close Up was a great experience for our student, and he had an extremely good time. He came back with more confidence and wider understanding of our world. If there is one thing I could say to any parents… The amount of worry that you will have about your child embarking on such a trip so far from home is minimized by the experience. They are safe and having a blast.
Close Up was the greatest experience of my life! It has inspired me to become a political leader in this great country. I have not only gained an even greater expansion of knowledge in the area of politics, but I have also gained lifelong friends.
Close Up made me realize how significant my thoughts and views are. Although everyone will not always agree, everyone has a voice and needs to be heard.
I’m truly blown away by what Close Up’s been able to accomplish in the last two weeks during IMPACT 2020. The material seems very high level, and my daughter’s been very motivated to participate every day. I wanted to be sure to commend the staff on providing such a great experience!
Our school has used Close Up for our educational trips for the last 8 years and wouldn’t choose any other program! Close Up carefully crafts the perfect balance of educational experience, citizen engagement and fun sightseeing opportunities. Teachers and chaperones are given great professional development opportunities as well as peace of mind knowing their students are well cared for by Close Up’s highly qualified program instructors. I’ve experienced Close Up both as a student and chaperone and can say it’s always one of the best weeks of my life.
Through my experience of Close Up, I have made so many great memories and friends. Before I went on this trip I was very closed off and not very open to new experiences. I also didn’t know much about politics, but by the end of this trip I felt more open to uncomfortable situations. I learned about our country’s past, present, and future problems and I feel like Close up is really preparing me for life with politics.
This year’s Close Up trip was a unique experience in many ways. For me personally, seeing the documents that shaped our nation firsthand was a gamechanger. Then, I got to share this experience with some of my students, and the amount of pride and joy that I saw on their faces made this all worthwhile.
I have to say, Close Up was a truly transformative experience for my son! It took him out of his Bay Area bubble and opened his eyes to many different kids, backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. It sparked a deep interest in American history that he didn’t have before. I wish that every high school student in America could attend this program.
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.
Close Up provides students with an excellent experience in D.C.. They interact with kids from across the country. They don’t just tour the sites in Washington, they dive deep into the meaning and significance of each one, with a focus on democracy citizenship. Also, their teacher program is excellent and flexible. I have learned something each time.
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!
Close Up is AMAZING! I could not recommend it more highly. I took a group of 10 juniors as a first year teacher and all nerves I had were alleviated by my rep and the organization itself. It was the smoothest process and week ever. You should never pass up an opportunity to experience Close Up!!!
