HEUVELTON — Last month, Heuvelton students in Jonathan Putney’s Advanced Placement Government and Politics class embarked on a 5-day trip to Washington D.C. to explore with the Close Up Foundation.

The Close Up Foundation is a nonprofit civic education organization that invites students and educators to get up close and personal with the past and present, as they explore the nation’s capital.

During their visit, the group of students and chaperones visited numerous museums, historical landmarks, and government buildings including the National Air and Space Museum, the Museum of National Archives where they viewed the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Holocaust Museum, the National Museum of African American History, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson, Franklin D.Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorials, the Ronald Reagan Building, the WWII Memorial, the Lincoln, Vietnam and Korean War Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the White House.

Heuvelton student Carley Simmons saw the trip as a unique opportunity for North Country students. Simmons said “This trip provided us, students from a small town in St. Lawrence County, with an opportunity to explore what is beyond our state.  It gave us a close up look at the government and exposed us to things we could achieve if we pushed ourselves.”

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s aide, Drew Bogdan, provided students with a tour of her office at the Rayburn House Office Building. Additionally, students had the opportunity to meet NY-21 Representative Stefanik in person at the Capitol Building.

One evening, students from Heuvelton and other districts from around the country participated in a Mock Congress event during which they were divided into two groups: those trying to pass a bill, and those trying to defeat its passage.

One Heuvelton student, Drew Blevins said, “One of my favorite moments was working with others in a mock congress.  I was selected as the leader of our group and we were successful at blocking a bill from becoming a law.”

While visiting Senate buildings, students presented information regarding an invasive species affecting local waterways. HCS student Dylan Demers noted that their presentation made an impact. “The hands-on experience in Washington D.C. opened my eyes to a whole new perspective on the government and how it operates. Our group made a positive impact on the future of our community by raising awareness about invasive water chestnuts that are affecting St. Lawrence County.”

To learn more about the Close Up Foundation, visit https://www.closeup.org/