Formed in 1971, Close Up is a nonprofit that exists to educate, inform, inspire and empower young people to exercise the righ ... ts and accept the responsibilities of citizens in democracy. We fulfill our mission with exciting, hands-on programs for students and teachers in Washington, DC. We use the city as a living classroom, giving students unique access to the people, processes and places that make up our nation’s capital. Our students are a diverse group – coming from every state and beyond and from all walks of life. Over 850,000 have graduated from our experiential programs. Countless more have participated on our TV show and used our textbook (Current Issues) and classroom resources to debate hot issues in classrooms nationwide. read more