Close Up Foundation

I love the program. I hope in the near future many more students are able to go! I was able to meet with people from different parts of the country and see the difference in government issues and political view points that really opened up my eyes. I was also able to learn about current debates on things I never knew existed! I 100% recommend attending.
Apr 6th, 2024

Close up is a super amazing program where my son got to meet tons of new people from other states, and share ideas with them regarding our government and issues we face as a nation. He says the program is very beneficial and he thoroughly enjoyed the duration of the trip. You also get to explore many of the monuments while also learning the history behind them. 5 stars 2000%!
Apr 2nd, 2024

My daughter had a wonderful experience in the Washington DC Close Up trip with class mates and met and made new friends from other schools in different states of U.S she would definitely do it again if she could. Thank you for this opportunity!
Mar 7th, 2024

This was hands down the worst excursion I've ever endured. Picture this: instructors who'd make you question the definition of expertise, annoying beyond belief and as knowledgeable as a two-term senator on their first day. They kept us up till half past ten at night, forcing us to sit through what they claimed were debates. Debates! Issues like lobbying were debated by folks who couldn't lobby their way out of a paper bag if they tried. And then, as if that insult to our intelligence wasn't enough, they routed us out of bed at 7 AM for a so-called "tour." What a colossal waste of both time and hard-earned money. All three of us were unanimous: the instructors weren't just subpar; they were a case study in how not to teach. They were easily flustered, overly fixated on keeping track of everyone as if we were kindergartners on a field trip, prone to yelling, and frankly, uneducated on the subjects they were supposed to be imparting wisdom about. They lacked the fundamental principles of imparting actual knowledge. Let me tell you about the schedulingit was a complete nightmare. They had us running ragged from 7:30 in the morning until ten at night, without a moment's respite. Every evening, without fail, they'd herd us into these so-called mandatory workshops on topics that couldn't have been more irrelevant to us if they had tried. By that point in the day, we were all too exhausted to care about anything they had to say. These sessions should've been optional, at the very least. Then there's the matter of meals or the lack thereof. Close Up, this organization that promised us three square meals a day suddenly decides to hand over a measly $60 to cover four lunches. In DC, no less! That's not nearly enough, and they offered zero guidance on where to find a decent meal within that budget. It's a disgrace, is what it is. Be warned: Close Up's idea of organization is to overbook your day from dawn to dusk with no regard for your well-being or intellectual nourishment. This wasn't just disappointing; it was a travesty.
Apr 7th, 2024

My daughter will be a highschooler this coming year. This was her 8th grade trip with a FL Pinellas county charter school. We decided to save up and make this trip happen for her. We are thankful she was able to attend. There were less than 10 students from her class that went. The teacher seemed like she had attended before since she was very laid back. Our daughter enjoyed that they felt a bit of freedom during this trip where teachers weren't hovering entire time. There was a couple of days that they would be at a specific memorial, museum or mall for a couple hours; teacher would assign buddies and they would stay with the buddy and meet back up at a certain time. She was able to sleep in an all girls hotel room with her friends. Meals were included in cost and she stated that it was a voucher or specific cash amount handed out at most meal times. Charter bus from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania was also part of it when they traveled to liberty bell. Flight there and back she was also able to sit with her group. In hearing from my daughter the account of her time; I felt that she was safe, supervised and educated during the entirety of this experience. It is a scary thing to let your 14 year old go across country without you; but this was a good experience and I would encourage other parents to allow their child the opportunity. Thank you
Mar 5th, 2024