Libby students tour nation's capital

With some hard work and support from the community, eight Libby High School seniors were able to take part in the Close Up Washington, D.C., trip from March 22 to March 30.

“We’ve been going for probably 25 years, at least,” said group chaperone Jon England. “This was the fifth time I’ve gone. My second year I went with my daughter and then with my son, and my youngest daughter went this year,” which gives England a hat trick of Close Up trips with his children.

The mission of the Close Up program is to inform, inspire and empower students to exercise the rights and accept the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.

“They try to involve them in a lot of seminars and panel discussions about Congress. And then they get them out to do stuff around the D.C. area at the various sites of interest. We try to stay on a few extra days after the program and we fundraise to make that happen so we can do some additional site-seeing.”

The trip happened to coincide with Lincoln County Commissioner Mark Peck’s visit to Washington, D.C. Peck was there to provide testimony to the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee, which the students were able to sit in on and view a local politician interact with the big boys in Washington.

England said this year was the smallest turnout in the program he has seen since getting involved, with up to 25 students participating in the past.

“Part of that I think is our numbers are just getting smaller. It was a good group to take back,” he said.

The students who made the journey were Dayln Germany, Devon Gallagher, Hailey Craig, Shyla Stevenson, Hannah England, Auria Benefield, Isaak Jones and Michael Curtis.

Germany said England was a quality tour guide for the students. “He’s done this so many times he knew exactly where to take us,” she said. “The trip was amazing, it was a great experience. We were able to meet our senators and representatives then visit with them and ask questions.”

First-year chaperone Kristi Gallagher was also lucky enough to experience the Close Up trip with her daughter, Devon Gallagher. It was also her first time in the nation’s capital.

“It was wonderful, the stuff they got to see was amazing,” Kristi Gallagher said. “I was in awe, as well as the kids.”

The changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a powerful experience for many of the students.

“They’re so strict and professional about it,” Auria Benifield said. “Everything is based on 21, I didn’t know that at first.”

The tomb guard sentinels take 21 steps then turn and wait 21 seconds before returning to the starting point. The number was chosen because it symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed - the 21-gun salute.

While at the tomb, the students were able to see a wreath-laying by the Houston Rockets basketball team, who they also watched in action against the Washington Wizards.

“Arlington I think was my favorite because my dad was in the military,” said Devon Gallagher. “Arlington was hard for me because I know what everyone there went through. I cried a little bit; it was very moving,” she said.

Kristi Gallagher said the students all started the trip with the same objective, but as the days wore on, two groups emerged. “Some of them got really interested in the government process, how things worked and the debates they had,” she said. “Some of the others were more impressed with the architecture, buildings and art they saw. Each of them went because they wanted to go to D.C. and see all of it, but there ended up being two distinct groups.”

Spending eight days with eight students in a bustling east coast city a few mishaps may occur. However, things went smooth until the last day when Devon Gallagher had a metro incident. “It ended up being funny in the end, but at the time we didn’t know what to do,” Kristi Gallagher said.

Devon Gallagher was the last one in the group boarding the metro train that day when she made it on, but her backpack didn’t. They finally opened the door up and she was able to scoot in.

“It was a moment of panic,” said Devon Gallagher. From that point on she was the first one on and the first one off, her mother said.

One of the descriptions used by several people participating in the Close Up trip was that the experience was eye opening. Kristin Gallagher used it to explain the students trying to budget their money.

“When we separated into groups we made sure they had money to buy their lunch or dinner. Spending-wise, it was a real eye-opener for most of them. They don’t think about the fact of where that money comes from; they order and mom and dad usually pay,” she said. With the money coming out of the student’s pockets from money they earned from fundraising that $4 ice cream and $2.50 bottled water were mulled over and often decided against for a cheaper treat and a water fountain.

Throughout the year, the students put on several fundraisers. They sold Close Up raffle tickets, slang hot cocoa and Italian sodas at sporting events and Logger Days and washed cars for the forest service, just to name a few. “It was a lot of work,” Benifield said. “We got lucky with the fundraising.”

Kristi Gallagher would say it’s more than just luck.

“The Libby community is absolutely amazing at supporting these kids. Every year a different group will sell Close Up tickets and Libby never fails as to make sure they buy the tickets to make sure the kids get to go. Not just the stores, but the citizens too,” Kristi Gallagher said.

“I know people that budget into their monthly budgets to buy two tickets every month until the drawing that usually happens in December. That’s just a normal person in the community.”