CVHS ventures out to Washington D.C.

Saturday, Feb. 11

We started the day much earlier than usual, arriving at the San Francisco airport at 5:30 a.m. The plane landed at 12 p.m. PT, but after our phones adjusted, the time changed to 3:00 p.m. ET, giving us all a bit of whiplash due to the time difference. Once everyone made it to the hotel, we spent the evening on a night tour, visiting the Capitol, FDR Memorial, MLK Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial. Washington, D.C. looked very beautiful at night, and this was especially highlighted by the numerous bodies of water providing gorgeous reflections of the monuments.

Sunday, Feb. 12

We went to the Smithsonian Museum of African American Culture and History. One exhibition that stood out to me was “The Paradox of Liberty.” The museum was powerful and hard to endure at times, but it was definitely one of my favorite things I experienced during my time in Washington. The Air and Space Museum was our next visit and it was much more lighthearted. We had dinner with the other schools. That night, we met the people who would be in our workshops. There were about 130 students from around the country. We did small activities and engaged in political conversations. The last event that day was Trivia Night on Washington and pop culture.

Monday, Feb. 13

We began the third day with a visit to the National Mall, the stretch of grass between the Washington Monument and the Capitol, which contains all the Smithsonian museums. We visited the Jefferson, FDR, and MLK memorials, and conducted study visits, asking and answering questions about our rights and how the views of historical figures are reflected in our democracy today. Back at the hotel, we had dinner and then broke off into three large groups to discuss current issues in public policy. The issues discussed were homelessness, college affordability, and food insecurity. Afterwards, I hung out in the student lounge with my friends.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

We went to the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War Memorials. We studied the memorials and what they represented, analyzing how they immortalized those who served and sacrificed themselves. Afterwards, we had lunch at the Reagan Building and International Trade Center. It’s a very important building and I met a CIA agent there. Next, we were given a few hours to tour the National Mall. My friend and I visited the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of American History, both of which were really fun. Back at the hotel, we held a mock Congress about minimum wage. It was an educational experience and helped prepare us to speak with actual lawmakers.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

We were with Ms. Frasca again. The highlight was visiting the Capitol Building and getting a tour. Eric Swalwell, our district’s congressman, met us and featured us on his Instagram. He also took us through a restricted area where no tours were allowed. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but Ms. Frasca said that in all her time of doing Close-Up, she’s never been back there. That day, we also went to the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress, both incredibly historic and beautiful buildings. Later that night, Close-Up took us to a play called “Shear Madness.” Since it was the end of the day and I was exhausted, I had very low expectations, but it was genuinely very funny and engaging.

Thursday, Feb. 16

On our last day with Close-Up, we went to the outside of the White House. It was really cool being able to see it, but it was much smaller than any of us expected. President Biden was also home at the time. For lunch, my workshop went to Chinatown, although due to gentrification, it wasn’t nearly as authentic as it used to be. After that, we took a tour of Arlington National Cemetery. We saw JFK’s gravesite and the changing of the guard. We also visited the Marine and Air Force memorials. That night, we had our final dinner together and celebrated with a dance. 

Friday, Feb. 17

We had a self guided tour of the White House. On our way in, we met Biden’s Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who was kind enough to take pictures with us. We then went to Ford’s Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot. After souvenir shopping, we had a quick visit to the National Archives, where the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are kept. We were then given more time to explore museums. My roommates and I went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. One of the pieces that most resonated with me was a two-story room filled with photographs dating back to the 1800s. Later that night, we all went ice skating. It was really fun skating besides my friends, and we were all impressed with Ms. Frasca’s ice skating skills.

Saturday, Feb. 18

On our last day in Washington, we spent the afternoon at the National Mall. My friends and I visited the American History Museum. On the way back, my roommate and I got fries and boba from a food truck. We took shuttle buses to the Reagan airport for our flight back to California. When we arrived at the airport, our parents were there to pick us up, officially ending our Washington, D.C. trip.