From Feb. 7 through 13, more than a dozen Santa Maria Joint Union High School District students traveled to Washington, D.C., and toured the White House, Capitol Hill, the Washington Monument and other historical sites.
The students are migrant education students from Ernest Righetti, Pioneer Valley, and Santa Maria high schools. All of the students had the opportunity to participating in the civic education program “Close Up Washington, D.C.”
“Most of them have never been out of California, and this was their first plane ride. The students got to see democracy in action in our nation’s capital, a privilege that many will never get to experience,” said SMJUHSD Public Information Officer Kenny Klein.
In addition to exploring the nation’s capital, the students got to interact with congressional members and engage in daily workshops.
“We were hoping the trip would inspire and empower them to exercise their rights, while also helping them realize the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy. In addition, we were hoping that learning the foundations of a democracy would engage and excite them about living in America,” Klein said.
The trip was paid for with funds from “Close Up” fellowships, the district’s migrant program, fundraising activities, and some of the students’ own contributions.
This article appears in Feb 19-26, 2015.