Good Morning Central Cal, A few weeks back I received this email about another great opportunity for our UB and ETS students. Please contact Megan Sette for more information on how your students can get involved. On a side note, Close Up gave me the opportunity to visit Washington D.C. for the first time during the summer of '94. Ricardo Marmolejo [log in to unmask] TRiO...it works! From: Megan Sette [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 2:24 PM To: Ricardo Marmolejo Subject: CENCAL TRIO Students and Close Up DC Dear Mr. Marmolejo, I am writing to determine if there might be a way for the Close Up Foundation to collaborate with you and other California TRIO programs in order to give students more opportunities and ways to expand on their college prep experiences. As you may know, the Close Up Foundation is the nation's largest nonprofit (501(c)(3)) citizenship education organization. Since its founding in 1970, Close Up continues to facilitate structured, week-long programs in Washington, DC which feature a hands-on, civic education curriculum, and a behind the scenes look at our government. Each year we welcome over 2,000 students from the state, and almost 20,000 students from across the country in grades 6-12. Along-side their peers and our instructional staff, we provide students with the chance to witness democracy in action. This is a valuable program that gives students the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become informed and active citizens. High school students even have the chance to navigate Capitol Hill and meet with their members of Congress, not to mention, the potential to earn college credit through the University of Virginia. Each year Close Up works closely with hundreds of schools, and several other TRIO programs throughout the United States and provides students with the chance to become more educated on the nation they live in, by welcoming them to our capital, and allowing them to interact with other young people from around the country. This is a wonderful and unique experience for the youth in your community. Additionally, Close Up also receives federal funding and offers a limited amount of financial assistance to each state to further help qualifying students have the ability to attend our DC programs. I would like to set up time to speak with you to explain our foundation's program and to explore how we might be able to work together on further engaging the youth of California. I plan to follow up with you next week via phone to discuss this in greater detail, and hopefully we can determine if there is potential to collaborate. Or please let me know who best to speak with regarding this matter. I can be reached via the contact information below. Many thanks for your consideration, and I eagerly look forward to hearing from you, and possibly working with you on further implementing the Close Up Program among local TRIO participants this school year. Sincerely, Megan Sette Regional Manager, West Coast Close Up Foundation 800 CLOSE UP (256-7387) Ext. 645 703-706-3645 Direct 424-245-4361 LA Office 571-481-2613 Fax www.closeup.org <http://www.closeup.org/>