Trojans get a “Close Up” of Washington D.C.
From Jan. 15-22, 32 CVHS students traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the Close Up Presidential Inauguration Program, aimed at immersing youth in our nation’s capital through seminars, exploration, and participation in pre and post inaugural events.
Independent exploration with CVHS chaperones, teachers Carmelina Frasca, Yvonne Garcia, and Bradley Schoenberger, kicked off the week, allowing Trojans increased access to Washington’s iconic landmarks.
“I really loved the memorials,” said senior Alondra Acevedo. “I feel like it was a place that made me feel a lot of respect and appreciation for what others have done.”
Favorite sights also included a night tour of the Capitol, visiting the National Archives, and walking through Smithsonian museums along the National Mall.
“I loved being able to explore the museums on our own and hanging out with friends as we got to learn about the history of America,” added senior Gavin Peters.
Perhaps most memorable was a tour and Q&A meeting with East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell, where students discussed the legislative process and new projects coming to the new 119th Congress.
Beginning the Close Up program, students were sorted into workshops, participating in lectures and tours centered around values of liberty, justice, and equality to guide their critical thinking.
However, while the trip had opportunities for valuable experiences, many hoped to get more out of their promised once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“It was fun mostly but also very tiring and cold. We didn’t get to see the inauguration, which was a big aspect,” said junior Shawyon Sharifi.
With everyone left unable to attend President Trump’s inauguration due to a sudden onset of frigid temperatures, students instead saw live, televised coverage. As Trump boldly declared his second term as a “Golden Age” for America, most Trojans decided to focus on the experience of viewing the ceremony remotely.
“I personally disagree with many of his policies, but the inauguration itself was cool to watch,” shared sophomore Lawson Ren.
To counter the unexpected changes, many looked to the packed schedule, lasting from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. each day, to keep busy.
“I thought we’d have more time exploring and learning instead of being stuck in a guide book,” explained Peters.
In addition, students describe feeling rushed throughout the day by program leaders, dehydrated, and frustrated as buses constantly broke down midday. These challenges took a toll, with three Trojans rushed to the emergency room by the end of the program, and sicknesses breaking out among 180+ participants and staff.
“While there were a lot of good experiences, it still required a lot of physical and mental effort,” said junior Connor Templeton.
Overall, despite the hurdles, Trojans held onto moments of connection they forged throughout the trip. With most newfound peers hailing from Republican-leaning states, CVHS students were exposed to multiple diverse viewpoints outside of the Bay Area’s left-leaning political bubble.
“I got to see many new perspectives, especially ones I didn’t agree with,” shared Sharifi.
Through activities such as debates on current, nationwide issues, students shared how their personal experiences shaped their beliefs. Looking beyond surface-level political divides, many were able to find common ground, something often overlooked in the current polarized political climate.
“While a lot of my personal political opinions about major subjects have not changed, I do feel like I’m able to communicate and empathize more with people who disagree,” added Templeton.
Despite many hurdles, the Close Up program offered Trojans fresh perspectives and a renewed commitment to fostering respectful, engaging conversations in our divided nation.
Sounds like the students who went had fun and had many experiences. I’m glad this program let’s students learn new things while letting them out of their comfort zones.
Its so nice to see how students get the opportunity to travel to different places and experience the world from such a young age. Its so important for students to get involved and this program really helps make that happen!
Seems like such a fun and exciting trip! Hopefully more things like this can happen for more students.
Sounds like fun! It’s cool you all got to have an experience away from home and everyone made it home safely.
It sounds like it was a really fun trip!
This trip looked like such a fun experience!
I truly enjoyed hearing the wonderful experiences shared by the CVHS staff and students during the Close Up Washington DC trip, despite a few individuals getting sick. The chance to make new friends and explore famous landmarks definitely seems like a great opportunity to experience!
It looked like a super fun tripped. I hoped you guys learned and had a lot of fun experiences.
It’s really cool that they had the opportunity to visit DC. I had a couple of friends who went on the trip and saw their posts on social media with the places they visited. Sadly, they didn’t get to be there in person to see the inauguration, it was a thing that the program seemed to push when they were talking about it last year, but at least they got to watch it over the internet.
Seems like a very interesting trip to be apart of, hopefully it was as engaging regarding the downsides of the trip.
This sounds like an amazing experience! Unfortunately, many people got sick.
It sounded like a nice trip where students got to learn and experience a lot.
This trip looked like it could have been a lot of fun. Maybe I should have gone. It is a little sad that there were some hurdles like the cold or the buses, however its good that everyone got back safely.
i like the school paper