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Cornel Benford II | Student 2002
Alumni Spotlight | May 14, 2024
From practicing governance to serving on the Glenn Heights City Council, Close Up alum Cornel Benford II’s experience as a high school senior in 2002 fueled his commitment to community leadership by connecting him with elected officials and helping him exchange views with students from across the country.
Elia Quintana | Student 1993
Alumni Spotlight | July 9, 2021
Growing up in California’s Central Valley as a first-generation migrant student, Elia Quintana never envisioned traveling far from home, let alone getting on a plane. But everything changed during her time at Arvin High School, when she was lucky enough to have two opportunities to attend Close Up programs in Washington, DC—once with her district’s […]
Patrick Sheehan | Student 1994
Alumni Spotlight | May 12, 2021
In preparation for his Close Up alumni interview, Patrick Sheehan dug through his memorabilia to find the Close Up Current Issues notebook he used during his January 1994 program. He was encouraged when noting that some metrics have improved since the 1990s (i.e. percentage of children in poverty, percentage of Americans holding a high school […]
Alton Nelson | Student 1981
Alumni Spotlight | February 10, 2021
Growing up in rural Georgia, Alton Nelson was thrilled when he was offered an opportunity to participate in Close Up’s Washington program as a student at Temple High School. At the time, eighth graders were part of the high school (endearingly called “sub-freshmen”), but this did not deter or preclude Nelson from attending with his […]
Carin Kale | Student 1978
Alumni Spotlight | July 27, 2020
From a very young age, Carin Kale wanted to give back to her community. As a child, her mother brought her to the voting booth, showing her how to express her opinion. Since civic engagement was a priority for her mom, Kale learned from an early age how important voting is, and she hasn’t missed […]
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