Countywide : Students Get a Look at Capital Politics

Cypress High School senior Stephanie Ballweg traveled to Washington recently to watch national government in action.

The 17-year-old was a little surprised to see how the Senate does business.

“You would think when someone was on the floor, that people would be listening,” she said. “But no one was listening. I can’t understand how that works.”

Ballweg is one of 23 Orange County high school students who are visiting Washington this fall to meet with lawmakers and diplomats.

The trips are part of the National Young Leaders Conference, which brings 350 students each week to the capital. The program is sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, a nonpartisan group that works with lawmakers to educate young people about national politics.

As part of her Oct. 12-17 trip, Ballweg met with Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and watched House and Senate debates. She said she wants to be a clinical psychologist, not a politician, although she talks about one day running for a seat on a city council.

Conference organizer Diane Boyd said many students who attend the program do not plan careers in politics, but find the week in Washington educational.

“It’s really a leadership training program, and we’re just using Washington as a classroom,” Boyd said.

Students are invited to attend the program, based on their grades, extracurricular leadership and recommendations from past participants. More than 40,000 young people have participated in the program since it was founded in 1985.

Boyd said the week in Washington costs $730 without air fare, but 30% of the students do fund raising to pay for the trips. Also, about 200 scholarships are given each year, providing $100 to the total cost of the trip.

Jared Freilich, 16, a student at Edison High School in Huntington Beach, said highlights of his trip were a tour of the Supreme Court and Library of Congress, and meetings with members of Congress.

“But my favorite thing was probably touring all the sites, since I had never been to Washington,” Freilich said.