By: Natalie J'beley
The Civic Education Workshop (CEW) is a one-week program in Washington, D.C. funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The Department of State has the YES (Youth Exchange and Studies) students apply in the fall, over five-hundred applicants were considered and only one-hundred students were chosen from over twenty countries to be a part of this week.
The CEW for 2015 started on Sunday February 22nd and lasted until Saturday February 28th. The main purpose of the workshop was to provide the exchange students a better understanding of key concepts of the United States’ Government and History.
During the workshop, the YES exchange students got to learn about leadership skills and how to be an ambassador of their countries. The students’ learned about American History by visiting some of the most famous memorials and monuments, such as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Junior Memorial and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial; alongside visiting many museums such as The Newseum, a museum dedicated to the press. The students also visited some of the famous Smithsonian museums including the National Museum of American History as well as the National Gallery of Art (NGA).
The highlight of the program was what is called Capitol Hill Day, which occurred after two days of preparing and orientations. The students got a whole day of meetings with congressmen and women, in addition to meeting their state’s Senator and staff members that work in the Senate offices and the of House Representatives. The exchange students attended the meetings on their own, representing the state they live in, their home country and the YES program.
The CEW for 2015 started on Sunday February 22nd and lasted until Saturday February 28th. The main purpose of the workshop was to provide the exchange students a better understanding of key concepts of the United States’ Government and History.
During the workshop, the YES exchange students got to learn about leadership skills and how to be an ambassador of their countries. The students’ learned about American History by visiting some of the most famous memorials and monuments, such as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Junior Memorial and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial; alongside visiting many museums such as The Newseum, a museum dedicated to the press. The students also visited some of the famous Smithsonian museums including the National Museum of American History as well as the National Gallery of Art (NGA).
The highlight of the program was what is called Capitol Hill Day, which occurred after two days of preparing and orientations. The students got a whole day of meetings with congressmen and women, in addition to meeting their state’s Senator and staff members that work in the Senate offices and the of House Representatives. The exchange students attended the meetings on their own, representing the state they live in, their home country and the YES program.