Students return from capital

April 24, 2005

KATELYN BALDWIN/For the Frontiersman

What better way is there to learn about American government than to smell tulips outside the Capitol as you discuss the Patriot Act with a U.S. senator? The Preamble to the Constitution means much more when it is carved into the Jefferson Memorial and surrounded by blooming cherry blossoms.

Twenty-three students from Colony High School ventured into the heart of American government earlier this month. The week-long trip was part of the Close Up government program.

Students quickly overcame jet lag from flying 10 hours to Washington, D.C., when they found themselves preoccupied in the capital city, gasping at the enormous Washington Monument and the price of hot dogs from street vendors.

Teacher Gena Graham used the trip to motivate her students to get involved in the nation's democratic process.

"Close Up is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn how the government works," Graham said. "More importantly, the kids learn how they can work to be a part of it."

Students saw the tens of thousands of names carved into the Vietnam Memorial. They voiced their opinions in discussions ranging from U.S. relations with the United Nations, to the debate on gay marriage. A seminar on global health led by scholar Chuck Woolery left students pondering whether a balance between freedom, security and independence is possible in our interdependent nation.

Washington, D.C., is the place to experience democracy in action. While in the Capitol, Colony students visited the House of Representatives' gallery and heard congressmen debating legislation on the so-called death tax - previously known as the inheritance tax. A trip to the National Archives featured the original documents of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights, complete with the signatures of the Founding Fathers.

The highlight of the trip, according to senior Akara Griffith, was the liberal-conservative debate.

"It helped me understand where both sides stood on certain important issues," she said.

The debate featured conservative Mike Long, a professional speechwriter and stand-up comedian, against liberal Christian Dorsey, executive director of an affordable-housing corporation. The debate issues, including the war in Iraq and abortion, riled the audience and caused people in it to develop a political identity.

"I walked away from the debate with a newfound insight. I went in believing I was conservative, and the debate helped me figure out where I stood," Colony student Tiana Rogers said.

April 13 was Capitol Hill Day. Alaska students had a chance to meet with U.S. Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young.

Members of the Colony contingent asked questions that challenged the priorities and voting records of their delegation. They asked Stevens why he voted against criminal background checks to be conducted at gun sales and questioned Murkowski on how long jobs would last if ANWR were opened for drilling.

"I loved actually meeting our representatives in D.C. and discussing issues with them," senior Jesse White said.

Students also had the chance to sit in on a Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting. There, they heard nominations read to Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind.,for the position of assistant secretary of state for European affairs.

Close Up participants also had a cultural experience watching a performance of August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" on Fichandler Stage. Some even had the opportunity to visit foreign embassies. Colony senior Rosie Loomis spent a day touring the Nicaraguan embassy.

"Being able to travel to another country without leaving D.C. was an unforgettable experience," she said. "The embassy was filled with amazing native artwork that really gave me a sense of Nicaraguan culture."

Students participating in the Close Up program receive government credit. The Close-Up class runs one semester, with the requirement being participation in the Washington, D.C., expedition. Before the trip, students learned about current domestic and international issues facing the country. They will continue their discussions with research presentations upon their return.

The Close Up program was founded in 1970 to promote informed participation in the democratic process through educational opportunities. It is currently the nation's largest nonprofit nonpartisan citizenship education organization. Each year, more than 20,000 students travel to Washington, D.C., and spend a week doing intensive government study.

"Experiencing Washington, D.C., helped me define my political views," Justina Christensen said. "I now have the knowledge and confidence to step up and speak out for what I truly believe in, because I now know what I believe in."

By taking part in hands-on experiences in our nation's capital, students gained a new perspective of the United States.

"It gave me a better sense of what being an American is, and being American isn't free," senior Jessica Pace said. "There's a lot people have sacrificed to give me what I have, and it became real to me in D.C."

Katelyn Baldwin is a senior at Colony High School and occasional contributor to these pages.