FPS staff report
April 21, 2009

The eight Carrollton High School students who spent a week recently in Washington, D. C., under the Close Up program are shown in the above submitted photo with Cong. Zack Space and the group’s advisor. Front row (from left) are Taylor Thompson, Mandy Noble, Cong. Space, Tailer Williams, Laken Underwood and Ms. Beverly McAbier, the advisor. Standing behind (from left) are Darrell Baker, Randy Leopold, Eric Manzella and Colin Davis.

Eight Carrollton High School students and their advisor returned recently from a weeklong trip (March 29-April 3) to Washington, D.C., under the Close Up program.

According to Ms. Beverly McAbier, the group’s advisor, the Close Up program provides students with the opportunity to experience first hand the people, processes and issues that drive our democracy. Through seminars with Washington policy makers and study visits to government offices and historical sites, high school students get a ‘close up’ look at the Process of democracy and our nation’s heritage, Ms. McAbier explained.

Highlights from this year’s trip included a daylong visit to Capitol Hill where the group toured the Capitol building, got their library cards at the Library of Congress and took a tour of the building. They also visited the Supreme Court building, sat in on a session of Congress, met with an aide from U. S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s office and met with Cong. Zack Space, who represents the 18th Congressional District, which includes all of Carroll County.

“While meeting with Cong. Space, we were able to ask him about his work in Congress on the Committees he serves on, Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure and Veterans’ affairs,” Ms. McAbier said. “We visited the many monuments and memorials at which we had study groups and learned more about the history of each. On our ‘free day’ we were able to visit the Holocaust Museum, Ben’s Chili Bowl, the Smithsonian Museums and other sites around the city,” she added.

Any sophomore or junior at Carrollton High School who is interested in this program for next year should contact Ms. McAbier at the high school.

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