High Life: A Weekly Forum For High School Students : Immigrants Will See Political System Close-Up in D.C.

A weeklong trip to the nation’s capital is in store next month for about 30 immigrant students attending Orange County high schools.

The students, all of whom have lived in the United States for less than five years, will learn about the U.S. political system through hands-on government study.

Nine Latino students from Valencia High School in Placentia--the largest number of participants from an Orange County school--will be among those attending the Close Up Program for New Americans during the week of June 20.

The program, sponsored by the nonprofit Close Up Foundation in Alexandria, Va., is intended for recently immigrated high school students who are proficient in English but who seek a deeper awareness of the U.S. system.

The nine students from Valencia were chosen from among 90 applicants on the basis of grade point average, an essay and an interview.

In addition to those from Valencia High School, Orange County students from Capistrano High School in Mission Viejo, San Clemente High School, Dana Hills High School and Santa Ana, Saddleback and Century high schools in Santa Ana will be participating.

To earn the trip to Washington, students must do community service and participate in a local government learning experience.

Students at Valencia translated letters and documents for the faculty, worked at the school blood drive, tutored and helped with the revision of the campus earthquake drills. They visited City Hall and sat in on a student government meeting at Cal State Fullerton.

To raise money for the trip, the students are planning T-shirt and candy sales, and they were involved in campus Cinco de May activities. They also hope to receive donations from local businesses.

Close Up is funded through the Ellender Grant administered by Congress, corporate donations and individual student enrollment fees. Needy students can take advantage of scholarship money, said Michael Caputo, spokesman for the foundation.

“We endeavor not to bring the student council president of these schools (to Washington) but rather the kids who most need to learn how to make government work for them,” Caputo said.

During the Washington trip, the students will have daily meetings with members of Congress and the Clinton Administration, journalists, lobbyists, foreign representatives and other Washington insiders. They will visit the U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court and government agencies.