Students head to Washington, D.C., for a closer look

March 13, 2005

AMY MENEREY/Frontiersman reporter

HOUSTON - Early next month, students from Houston and Su Valley high schools will get a chance to see our government at work and meet Alaska's elected officials.

The 10 students - five juniors from Houston and five seniors from Su Valley - are heading to Washington, D.C., on April 2 as part of Close-Up Washington, a weeklong nonprofit, nonpartisan government studies program founded in 1970.

"It's a really wonderful program," said Su Valley English teacher Pat Bills, the advisor accompanying the students. Bills said Su Valley students have participated in the program each year, with her last trip as an advisor five years ago.

"All the teachers at Su Valley want to do it, so we rotate," Bills said.

This year the students heading to Washington, D.C., include five Houston High School juniors, one of them Bills' son, Robert. It will be the first time Houston students have participated in the program.

"This just happened to become available to us this year," said Houston principal Mike Vrvilo. The school may offer the program next year, Vrvilo said, but school officials won't know for certain until next spring.

"It is a program we definitely would like to offer in the future," Vrvilo said, but it would depend on several factors, such as staffing ratio and other programs offered.

To participate in Close-Up, interested teachers contact an outreach coordinator who provides them with a teacher's pack that includes various forms, lesson plans and information about the program.

"It's a lot of paperwork," said Colony High School teacher Gina Graham, who has been taking Colony students to Washington, D.C., for the last six years and recently received an award for her involvement in the program. Graham said participating is mostly about resources - time and money.

Teachers need to have the ability to dedicate time for paperwork and making arrangements, and students need to come up with the money to go. Many teachers interested in participating can't due to other commitments, she said, such as coaching school teams.

Sean Murphy, teacher of advanced placement U.S. history at Houston High School, in the past has tried to get a trip together, but there weren't enough interested students, and the cost of participating - paid for by the students' families - is relatively high.

Tuition for the weeklong program is $1,129 tuition, which includes meals and hotel rooms, and airfare is $550, Bills said. A chance to see our nation's capital, watch Congress at work, meet elected officials and attend the many seminars and workshops, however, is worth it, Bills said.

"I told them [Houston officials] the best advertising is word of mouth from kids who've been on the trip," Bills said.

Close-Up Washington offers middle school, high school, teacher and lifelong learner programs.

There is no grade-point-average requirement to attend, however, each school can form its prerequisites for eligibility to participate - Vrvilo said Houston students must be students in good standing, have passed their High School Qualifying Exam and have a good grade-point average.

Houston High School juniors Chris Minsch, Drew Adams, Nori Dixson, Alycia VanKirk and Robert "Wiley" Bills have all passed the HSQE, Bills said, and are students of Murphy's AP class.

"I'm looking forward to meeting people from all over the country. My mom went when she was in high school and wanted me to see what it's like," Nori said.

"I've been to Washington before, in the sixth grade, so this will be a review," Alycia said.

"It'll be a nice break from school and a great opportunity to further our knowledge," Drew said.

The Su Valley students who will be participating include Josh Holbrook, Tyler Miller, Matthew Clark, Heidi Hartley and Vegard Kleven.

Mat-Su students have participated in the Close-Up program for more than 20 years, according to Kim Floyd, public information specialist for the school district. Floyd said an average of 60 students each year are involved in the program.

"It is just an amazing trip," Graham said.