Close Up - Washington D.C. Educational Programs

09/17/2026

Americans disagree about politics, but they often struggle to explain why.

In honor of Constitution Day, Close Up—with support from the U.S. Department of Education—is providing educators with scaffolding for multi-partisan classroom examinations of America’s core political values and how they regularly come into tension.

Introducing “Cornerstones of American Democracy,” a free, four-week curriculum designed for students in grades 10-12.

The unit provides an analytical framework for understanding political disagreement by examining six core values that shape our public life—liberty, equality, equity, security/order, private interests, and the common good—with enduring questions about the proper scope and role of government.

Using curated, multipartisan perspectives, the curriculum helps students see that these tensions are a feature of democratic life, not a failure.

Download this resource for free with email sign up at https://www.closeup.org/nextgen-roundtable-america-250-curriculum-resources-preview

09/16/2026

The race to bring AI into schools is already underway.

As technology companies invest millions in teacher training, classroom tools, and AI education initiatives, they’re gaining a growing role in shaping how the technology enters schools.

The latest Current Issues Blog post examines these partnerships, the interests behind them, and the questions educators and students should consider as AI becomes part of the classroom.

READ: https://www.closeup.org/big-tech-goes-to-school-who-decides-how-ai-enters-the-classroom/

09/15/2026

At a time when it’s more important than ever to bring young Americans together across differences, what better day to do it than Election Day?

On November 3, 2026, Close Up is heading to Stanford University to gather high school students in the Bay Area for a day of purposeful deliberation and dialogue across differences.

The Bay Area Youth Summit is one of six regional deliberations taking place nationwide in 2026-27 as part of NextGen Roundtable: America 250, empowering students to engage with diverse perspectives, listen with empathy, and share their ideas with confidence.

If you live in the Bay Area, register your cohort of students by October 14 at https://www.closeup.org/stanford-deliberation-student-enrollment/

09/14/2026

For last week's NextGen Roundtable: Fairfax Youth Summit, Close Up brought high school students from across the region to George Mason University to deliberate the intersection of AI and the economy.

Students started out in workshops discussing policy ranging from taxation to college preparation for the job market. After familiarizing themselves with a range of multifaceted policy positions, students heard from leading experts during a panel on how AI is reshaping our economy and communities.

Special thanks to George Mason University for hosting this regional NextGen Roundtable and the schools, educators, and partners who helped Close Up bring this experience to life. We’d also like to thank our expert panelists:

We’d also like to thank our expert panelists:

- Dr. JP Singh, University Professor, Schar School of Policy and Government, GMU
- Dr. Bryan Caplan, Professor of Economics, GMU
- Conner Hoyt, Development and Giving Lead, Latino Economic Development Center
- Pericles Niarchos, Chief Programs and Innovation Officer, Foundation for Economic Education
- Bethany Abbate, Director of AI Policy, Software and Information Industry Association
- Lindsay Greenberg, Chief Innovation Officer, Close Up (Moderator)

09/14/2026

AI is already in schools. But are schools ready for it?

With students and teachers increasingly using AI, schools and states are making decisions about how to regulate it, even as researchers warn that the evidence on its long-term effects is still limited.

The latest Current Issues Blog post explores what we know about AI in K-12 education, what we don’t, and the debate over whether schools should move ahead of the research.

READ: https://www.closeup.org/should-schools-adopt-ai-before-the-evidence-is-in/

09/11/2026

Guiding students through the history of September 11 is a responsibility we approach with care and a deep sense of purpose.

For those of us who grew up in the aftermath of 9/11 who are now teachers, parents, storytellers, and civic leaders, we have a responsibility to help today’s students understand not only what happened that day 25 years ago, but everything that has unfolded since:

- Examining the events that led to the attacks
- Remembering the deeply human stories of those who died in Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, and New York City
- Honoring the first responders who ran toward danger
- Grappling with our government and military's response in the decades that followed.

These are difficult questions, but important ones for students still developing their understanding of what it means to safeguard a nation and the values it lives by.

They remind us, too, that civic action matters, and that the leaders we choose can shape how a nation responds to crisis and finds its way to healing.

At Close Up, we weave these lessons into our regular programming by bringing students to the memorials and museums that preserve the stories of September 11.

25 years after the towers fell, we remember by carrying on a culture of civic education that won't let students forget.

09/10/2026

NextGen Roundtable is going back out on the road!

At a time when it’s more important than ever to bring young Americans together across differences, Close Up is partnering with universities, education leaders, elected officials, and policy experts for regional days of purposeful deliberation for high school students.

On October 13, 2026, we’re heading to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for one of six regional deliberations taking place nationwide in 2026-27 as part of NextGen Roundtable: America 250. Through civil discourse, students will engage with diverse perspectives, listen with empathy, and share their ideas with confidence.

If you’re in the Durham area, register your cohort of students by October 1 at https://www.closeup.org/durham-regional-deliberation-student

09/03/2026

Jillian, First-Time Voter, Massachusetts

NextGen Roundtable: Decision 2026

Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab Generation Lab Hoover Institution

09/01/2026

Students from across the U.S. territories got a Close Up look at the Big Apple during the New York City leg of their program!

Thank you to our partners at U.S. Department of the Interior for providing the avenue for this incredible opportunity

09/01/2026

What do young Americans really think about the state of our country?

Close Up was proud to partner with the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University, The Generation Lab, and Future Caucus on a new national poll exploring how young Americans view our country, their generation, and their role in civic life.

https://www.american.edu/sine-institute/americanpromise250-poll.cfm

AU Sine Institute of Policy & Politics Future Caucus - formerly Millennial Action Project The Generation Lab

The latest research from the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics at American University uncovers new data on youth perspectives on the American identity, values and more