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Glencoe Silver Lake High School
Sometimes classroom learning and textbooks alone are not enough to help students really understand something. This concept is the driving force behind The Close Up Foundation’s mission to provide students a “close up” experience in government to better understand the democratic process. Our organization this month is Minnesota’s Glencoe Silver Lake High School, which has been actively participating in the Close Up program for the past 26 years.
American history teacher, Gary Monson is the guiding and coordinating force behind the Close Up program at the high school. The school alternates the educational trips each spring between the more traditional Washington D.C. trip and a special focus Pacific Basin trip to Honolulu, Hawaii. The Washington trip focuses on study visits to the many local landmarks, meeting with legislators and small group workshops. The Honolulu trip focuses on expanding students’ cultural and political understanding of the Asia-Pacific region and includes visits to Pearl Harbor, and Hawaii’s state capital. Students also have the opportunity to meet other students from around the country during their weeklong visit.
To help finance the trip, Gary has purchased gourmet round lollipops from FundRaising.Com for many years. “The lollipops really sell themselves,” Gary states and “students look forward to purchasing the treats around school or at ball games”. He notes that the “delivery has been really good and the consultants are always cheerful and cooperative.”
It’s interesting to note that Gary’s own children have gone through the Close Up program and share fond memories of their experience. This will be Gary’s last Close Up trip; after 34 years of teaching, he plans to retire at the end of this school year. Spending more time with his wife, four children and three grandchildren as well as spending more time golfing, fishing and traveling - are just a few of the things on his retirement “to do” list!
FundRaising.Com will be sending the Close Up students at Glencoe High a free case of gourmet lollipops for being our featured organization. We wish them the very best of luck on their upcoming Washington trip and we trust Gary’s leadership will be carried on for many years following his retirement.
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