Close-Up Trip to Washington, DC Sheds Light on Political System

March 13, 2017

A group of twelve CDH juniors and seniors, accompanied by Mr. Boisclair and Mrs. Robison, traveled to Washington D.C. February 12-17, 2017 as a part of the nation-wide Close-Up program.

The 2017 Close Up trip included juniors: Lucas Peltier, Anders Busse, Katherine McKeown, Jack Stupka, Miguel Vasquez, and Gigi Centeno, and seniors: Noel Busse, Ben Jones, Zach Brower, Hailey Ryan, Elise Page, and Elias Andrzejek.

Students learned about political efficacy and how the government functions. They also met and worked with students from all over the country including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas.

Highlights of the trip included meeting with some important political figures including Senator Al Franken, Senator Marco Rubio, and Congressman John Lewis. They spent one afternoon in the Senate chambers listening attentively to Senator Elizabeth Warren speak on cabinet nominees.

The class participated in their own mock Congress focusing on issues like minimum wage and immigration.  The students also visited many of the city's famous museums and monuments.   The trip was a marvelous experience that explained our country's political system and showed how big of a role citizens truly play in government.