YCHS On Close Up Trip NIMGIL, Yap (YCHS News, May 18, 2014) — Two YCHS juniors, Jamilyn Mooteb and Saralyn Wuyoch, were chosen to participate in the 2014 Close Up program. Close Up is a US government-supported program that seeks to inform, inspire, and empower students to exercise the rights and accept the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy. During the two week trip, our students attended experiential workshops centered around our national monuments and museums in Washington DC, Colonial Williamsburg, Philadelphia, and New York City. The students also met with officials from the Department of the Interior, the Embassy of the Federated States of Micronesia, and Senate Committee for Energy and Natural Resources to discuss issues related to their state and nation. During the limited amount of free time, Jamilyn, Saralyn, and their teacher, Jesuit scholastic Patrick Nolan, S.J., toured the following college campuses: Georgetown University, the College of William and Mary, the University of Pennsylvania, and Drexel University. One Sunday, we attended Mass at Old St. Josephs Parish in Philadelphia and met with Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. Dan was the first Jesuit to invite me to a Come and See vocational event at Loyola University Maryland so it meant a lot for me to introduce him to my students, said Patrick Nolan, S.J. The New York Province office hosted the students and Nolan for real New York pizza, and sent them off with (much needed) bottles of water, sweets, and backpacks. In just two days in New York, the students toured the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square, Museum of Natural History, the 9/11 Memorial, and the financial district. They enjoyed a chicken parmigiana dinner in Little Italy, strolled through Central Park, attended a Broadway musical, cheered for the home team in the bleachers during the Yankees vs. Mets interleague game at Yankee Stadium, and rode the subway! Our students completely gave themselves to the experience. They asked good questions in the workshops, endured a lot of walking, snapped hundreds of photos, and sacrificed valuable free time to tour college campuses. Participation in the Close Up program is a huge step towards preparing our students for the cultural transition they will face as they graduate Yap Catholic High School and attend top-notch colleges in the United States... We hope to offer as many of these pre-college programs as possible. Special thanks to the benefactors of the Jesuits and Yap Catholic High School who make these learning pilgrimages possible, said Patrick Nolan, S.J., reflecting on the two week trip.
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 07:03:20 +0000
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