From Jan. 12 through Jan. 18, fourteen Chamblee juniors and seniors visited Washington, D.C. with Close-Up, a trip that lets students from all over the U.S. see American government in action.

The students attended visited the Senate, the Supreme Court, and various seminars. “Getting to sit in the Senate gallery for a while was really neat,” said senior Daniel Stockton.

The following students participated: Daniel Stockton, Eryn Stokesbury, Adrienne Alexander, Emily Choate, Carrie Dunbar, Leann Rittenbaum, JC Boyle, Joseph Aims, Jonathan Rouse, Chandler Kennedy, Kalin Ambrose, Racquel Reid, Katherine Stein and Scott Spillman.

AP U.S. History teacher Steve Rubino sponsored the trip.

Chamblee’s attendees met with Senator Zell Miller and Representative Denise Majette.

“Denise Majette was very well-spoken,” said senior Carrie Dunbar, who attended Close-Up both this year and last year.

Chamblee students found the environment much different from what they are accustomed to at Chamblee. Most were shocked that the conservative students outnumbered the liberal students.

“No one agreed with me,” said liberal junior Joseph Aims, “but the ultra-right-wing people were interesting.”

This year’s Close-Up participants went to Washington at a fairly active time, as the debate over going to war with Iraq became very intense.

“It was really nice to see Robert Byrd of West Virginia give a nice long speech against the war in Iraq when he was a big hawk during Vietnam,” said junior JC Boyle.

“From what I got out of Zell Miller’s speech, it seems like we’re already at war with Iraq. There’s nothing protestors can do about it,” said Dunbar. She noted that there was no shortage of those trying, however. “This one lady lives across the street from the Capitol – she just lives there and protests,” she said.

Several students listened to a case in the Supreme Court about the Family Medical Leave Act. Both Stockton and Aims expressed particular interest in Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia. 

“Scalia was in fine form,” said Aims. “He’s mostly the smartest Supreme Court justice, but he’s evil,” said Stockton.

The students had very little free time, but they managed to keep themselves entertained. 

“We played this game called Diplomacy,” said Stockton, “but the juniors all quit when I started beating them.” In response, Aims said, “Daniel was irritatingly good.”

The students also saw a play called Shear Madness, about a murder in a barbershop. “The audience vote determines the outcome,” said Dunbar. “It was funny,” said Stockton.

In the end, the students felt satisfied to have learned much about politics and government.

“I learned that there’s never anyone in the Senate when they’re having a debate,” said junior Chandler Kennedy.

Many students are wary of the cost of the trip, but this year’s attendees said they would recommend the experience despite the price tag. “Yeah, it was worth it,” said Aims.