2019 Washington D.C. Trip

Dear 8th Grade Parent/Guardian,

We are excited to announce that Miles River 8th graders will be traveling to Washington, D.C. this year from May 21st - May 24th 2019. For our fourth year we will continue our partnership with Close Up (www.closeup.org), a non-profit organization that since 1971 has provided hands-on educational programs for over 850,000 students and teachers from across the country.

Using the nation’s capital as a living classroom, students will get a ‘close up’ view of American history, government, and democracy in action that will bring connect to the 8th grade curriculum particularly in the areas of civics, the Holocaust, and human rights. Miles River teachers will be developing the program along with Close Up staff. Close Up trains its own staff of full-time teaching fellows to deliver an engaging and exciting curriculum that helps students connect what they are seeing and experiencing in DC to what they have learned in school.

During our time in Washington, students will have the opportunity to visit many of DC’s key institutions and historic sites—highlights include:

• DC’s famous monuments and memorials

• World-renowned Smithsonian Museums

• Mock Congress -- an in-depth simulation of the legislative process

• Opportunity to meet with members of Congress and Washington insiders on Capitol Hill

• Discussions about current issues facing your community and country

Safety is Close Up’s #1 priority – Close Up provides 24-hour supervision on program, including night monitors on every hotel hallway, one instructor per twenty students, a program leader and a dedicated Close Up representative for our school.  Close Up is a full-service provider -- the all-inclusive tuition cost of $980 per student includes the round-trip bus transportation, quality hotel accommodations, all meals in D.C., entrance fees, program logistics and planning.

Sincerely,

Craig Hovey

Principal