A group of Wrangell

students returned last weekend from an extended trip to Washington D.C. and New York City. They were part of the Close Up program, aimed at informing and educating

young people to exercise the rights and accept the responsibilities as citizens in a democracy.

Eleven students

departed with their program advisor on April 22. The group visited the Eastern

Market, noted for its variety of artwork, food and events. Afterward the group toured Petersen House, where President Abraham Lincoln had died following his shooting at nearby Ford's Theatre. At said theater, they caught a live

production of "110 in the Shade" before wrapping up their first day in D.C.

The group also visited many of the capital's monuments and museums: the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, the Navy Memorial, journalism-related Newseum, and the Holocaust Memorial Museum. One of the days ended with a domestic policy debate.

"Throughout the week in D.C. the students experienced many memorials, monuments, museums and discussions with students from many different backgrounds and states," explained Sarah Merritt, with the Wrangell's Legislative Information Office.

During their week in Washington, the

Close Up group got to meet with Alaska's congressional delegation, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young. They visited the White House grounds, toured iconic D.C. neighborhoods and participated in a range of workshops dealing with policy issues and the political process.

Wrangell's students also drove to New York City. There they toured the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, saw the Statute of Liberty and Ellis Island, explored Little Italy and Chinatown, and took in some of the culture. The group finished off their trip seeing a Broadway production of "Fiddler on the Roof."

In order to go on this

unique trip, students from Wrangell High School held fundraisers like their holiday pie sales, the Thanksgiving centerpiece sale, Christmas wreath sale, a Super Bowl hors d'oeuvres raffle, Rent-A-Kid and several others.

This year's Close Up tuition was $2,072 per student,

covering lodging, meals,

transportation and admission to the various sights. The only aspect not included is airfare, as many students use mileage or companion tickets.

Asked what the highlights

of their experience were,

the students replied: Josephine Lewis – World War II Memorial (DC) and the 9/11 Memorial (NY); Reyn Hutten – the Eastern Market (DC) and "walking the Brooklyn Bridge with all my new friends

that I met." (NY); Maleah Wenzel – World War II Memorial (DC) and a tie between the Broadway

show and the Rockefeller Center observation deck (NY); Kari Massin – the International Spy Museum (DC) and "Fiddler on the Roof" (NY);

KayDee Howell – the Petersen House (DC) and the 9/11 Memorial (NY); Makena Hammer – riding the Metro for the first time (DC) and Rockefeller Center (NY);

Trent Stokes – ties between

the Smithsonian Museums

and Lincoln's Waffle

Shop (DC) and

Rockefeller Center and "Fiddler on the Roof"

(NY); Dawson Miller – the Lincoln Memorial (DC)

and a tie between "Fiddler

on the Roof" and the Rockefeller Center (NY); Curtis Wimberley – the International Spy Museum (DC) and the Statute of Liberty (NY); Samuel Armstrong – the Lincoln Memorial (DC) and "Fiddler on the Roof" (NY); and Davis Dow – Ford's Theatre (DC) and "Fiddler on the Roof" (NY).