A group of 36 Mount St. Mary Academy students spent January 17-23 in Washington, D.C., experiencing the institutions and iconic sites that embody our nation’s past and present through the Close Up experiential learning program.
Highlights of the group’s week-long adventure in the nation’s capital included visiting the U.S. Capitol, FBI Headquarters, Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and the Holocaust Memorial Museum. In addition to touring landmark buildings and famous monuments and memorials, the students were able to participate in debates and a Mock Congress, discuss current issues with participating students from other states, meet with U.S. Representative French Hill, and witness legislation being passed from the U.S. House of Representatives Visitor Gallery. They also celebrated Mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church and explored Georgetown neighborhood during their time in Washington, D.C.
“Close Up shows our students firsthand what they’ve learned in class and gives them the opportunity to fully experience our nation’s capital as well as consider their roles in our political system today and in the future,” MSM social studies teacher and trip chaperone Brendan Britt said. Britt, who participated in Close Up in high school, was instrumental in adding the program to Mount St. Mary Academy’s list of annual educational travel options in 2010.
“I really enjoyed building friendships with students from all around the country and learning from their different perspectives,” sophomore Sarah Kate Liles said. “Seeing the monuments and discussing important topics helped me better understand the importance of listening to others and considering viewpoints different from my own.”
Sophomore Molly Ross shared similar sentiments about the experience. “Close Up is such an incredible opportunity for high schoolers. I never knew I could meet so many intelligent young people from all over the nation, who have all different views. Because of this, the conversations we had on this trip exemplified the powerful viewpoints our generation has, and brought up great debates that educate students and allow them to be respectful of different opinions than their own.”
This is the 16th year Mount St. Mary Academy has participated in Close Up. Using the nation’s capital as a “living classroom,” the issue-centric and nonpartisan curriculum gives participants a deeper understanding of history, government institutions, current issues, and the role of citizens, with the goal of helping help young people develop critical skills for tackling the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Since 1971, it has served more than one million students and educators from schools around the country through its civic education programs and classroom resources.
