Middle School Parent Info

We are committed to providing a safe, secure, and memorable experience for your child from the moment they arrive in DC.

• Participants are greeted upon arrival by a Close Up staff member at the airport/train station and escorted to their respective hotels.*
• Male and female participants will be housed on separate floors at each hotel. We have professional security staff that monitor hotel rooms and hallways each night.
• Each hotel will have a program staff member who will reside at the hotel during the program. They are available in case of an emergency and all students and teachers are provided with the Close Up staff room number and contact information.
• All students are accounted for at all times via roll calls at all Close Up-led activities from breakfast through nightly room check: 7:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. Participants and staff wear their Close Up name tags at all times.
• Our emergency hotline is listed on the back of each name tag and on all student and teacher daily schedules, and is staffed 24/7.
• Program supervisors and bus drivers have cell phone access for communication between the Close Up headquarters and program participants at all times.
• Security conditions at site locations and all transportation systems are monitored round-the-clock by our staff. Relevant news alerts and instructions will immediately be communicated to program staff.
• All staff is professionally trained in emergency situation response, including evacuation procedures and routes from all Close Up activity locations.
• All of our staff members working with students have undergone criminal background checks and are trained in CPR, AED, and First Aid.
• We partner with several leading health care providers to ensure that students have access to quality health care should they need medical attention while on the program.

*For participants that have elected Close Up’s group transportation package.

Close Up’s thrilling programs are driven by student engagement and discussion. Here are a few ways you can help your student get ready for their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity:

• Do I Have A Right?: Bill of Rights: Students have many opportunities to discuss the history of the Bill of Rights and how citizens exercise those rights today. This game allows students to learn about the Bill of Rights and start thinking about some of the concepts they will encounter on their program.
• Liberty Belle’s Responsibility Launcher: Students will be discussing the rights and responsibilities of citizens. This game prepares students to think about the multiple responsibilities of citizenship.
• Liberty Belle’s Immigration Nation: This game is great for students attending the New York program. Students will begin to learn about the history of immigration in our country and prepare for their discussions at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
• I’m Just A Bill: Students will see the legislative process first-hand on their program during their Capitol Hill walking workshop. This video will get them ready to see each part of how a bill becomes a law.
• The Preamble: Students will visit the National Archives during their time in Washington, DC, where they will discuss our founding documents. This video will provide insights into the Preamble and why the Constitution was created.
• Campaigns and Elections: Get ready for the White House study visit and see if students are ready to hold the highest office in the land! Through an interactive game, students understand the electoral college, the role of fundraising in elections, and how voter turnout factors into election outcomes.
• Branches of Power: Students learn the history of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches and the role each plays by visiting the Capitol, Supreme Court, and the White House.
• Constitution Hall Pass: Learn about the three branches of government and about MLK’s legacy.
• Interactive Constitution: Explore the Constitution by searching for an article, amendment, or political issue.