Students experience politics at the sharp end in Washington DC
06 November 2007
Birkdale Sixth Form pupils spent the recent half term in Washington DC, hosted by families from JEB Stuart High School – Birkdales link school within Northern Virginia. Staying with families meant they experienced the American lifestyle including a High School Homecoming Football game. The exchange followed a recent Birkdale School History trip to the Battlefields of France and Belgium which included pupils from JEB Stuart.
The aim of the Washington visit was to support their Government and Politics A level studies. The week was packed with related political activities and even meeting some members of Congress.
A visit to NAFSA and the AARP (American Association of Retired People; the biggest lobbying group in USA) introduced them to the important role of lobbying by special-interest groups to the government to raise awareness of issues, whilst a visit to the CATO Institute, a political “think-tank” who creates policy recommendations, explained how government policies may be altered. Other visits included; a discussion on energy efficiency at the Environmental Protection Agency, and several tours, including around the Supreme Court, the Capitol building and the Pentagon.
They also managed to pack in all the usual sights of Washington and of course some important shopping!
A truly educational visit in the widest sense.
