Close-Up students fill week with learning experience in D.C.
by Richard Lamb, Advance Editor
A tired but grateful group of Rogers City High School students returned from Washington D. C. with tired feet, but heads swimming with memories of new experiences. The 17 high school juniors, and RCHS teacher Chad Coolman participated in Close-Up Washington, a program which has brought thousands of high school students to the nation?s Capitol for workshops and tours since the program began in 1971.
The students tour historic sites in Washington, learn about famous Americans, have workshops on how government works, hear special speakers and interact with their peers from other states. Participants in the sessions attended by the RCHS group included students from Alaska, Indiana, Illinois, Montana, North Dakota, California, Minnesota and a group from Mexico.
Close-Up runs programs most weeks from September until May each year. ?THE HANDS-ON is what makes Close-Up Washington a worthwhile program. I try to get as much crammed into a semester as I can when I teach government. In Close-Up you can probably get 16 hours a day of instruction,? Coolman said.
?They can really probably learn as much in this week as they can in a semester because it is hands-on. They are going there, and seeing it and it is fun, because it is hands-on.?
Coolman, who has led three trips to Washington after Jane Lalonde had led the program for several years, said the educational value of the program is immense and the presentation helpful for learning.
?Instead of just being in a classroom, they can go to the Capitol, they can go to the Supreme Court, and the White House and then when Close-Up takes them around and talks about those things, I think it makes a big difference,? he said. The four- or five-day workshop is centered around the workings of the nation?s government, stressing history and honoring those who made freedom possible. Close-Up?s goal is to educated and inspire young adults to participate in democracy. Teachers and chaperones have a separate schedule, apart from the students, on most days. Their agenda includes tours of monuments and museums, as well as seminars on how to teach special government-related topics.
PART OF THE activities with students and teachers together included meeting Michigan Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and Representative Bart Stupak. Stupak, meeting with smaller groups from Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island and Rogers City, took time to greet many of the students individually, answer questions, pose for individual photos with students and pose for a group
Stabenow posed for photos with each of the dozen or so schools from Michigan while Levin answered questions from Michigan students and told about his role in the Senate. Throughout the week Close-Up transported the groups on tour buses or provided pre-paid cards to travel the city?s subway system. With all the walking around museums and monuments, the students and teachers got a workout. Students raised money for the trip through a series of fundraisers, donations from several civic organizations and contributions from their parents.
?KIDS SAY IT is well worth it. I?ve had kids who have never got a chance to really travel before and just love it. I?ve had kids who were lucky enough to travel to other places and yet Close-Up is their favorite. As busy as they are and as tired as they are, I?ve yet to take a kid who didn?t come back happy,? Coolman said. The group flew out of Pellston Sunday, April 26 and returned home Friday, May 1.