Close Up Foundation

To Whom It May Concern: The Close Up Foundation is the single/sole source service provider for the professional services delivered as part of the Close Up - Osceola County Youth Po/icy Summit and/or Rally to Tally that will teach ESOL and immigrant students in high school the basic themes in American democracy. Close Up is also the sole source Publisher, Producer or Copyright holder of education resources and materials. The student program is designed to guide students to a greater understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and to motivate them to become active, engaged individuals at the local, state and national levels. All curriculum is designed and implemented by our highly trained staff. All materials and resources provided, including Current Issues, Close Up in Class and the student notebooks, have been designed, written, developed and published by Close Up Foundation. To promote academic achievement and post-secondary college awareness, students participating in Close Up Rally to Tally will also visit one university in Tallahassee. The program allows students to explore the fundamental principles of republican government in Florida and the United States; expanding leadership verbal and writing skills, as well as, fostering confidence for active citizenship both in their school and their community. Students participate in a Youth Policy Summit where they research and understand the characteristics and causes of identified issues, generate new policies or amendments, develop a coherent Youth Agenda for Action, and meet with public officials to advance their agenda. Through the Summit they debate local current issues and policies that impact their education and community. Additionally, they have the opportunity to visit local cultural museums, the State Capital, Senate, and House of Representatives. While there may be other vendors who can arrange logistics for students and educators to `visit` Tallahassee, Close Up has exclusively developed the single source curriculum which is the basis for the program, including all digital resources, and materials, as well as providing specialized staff and speaker engagement. In the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report they found that 31% of 8th graders performed below a "basic" level in civics. With young people coming of age in a polarized political world and a pandemic era that has left them lacking civic skills and knowledge, we believe it`s critical to help students work together, develop their own opinions, and talk to people of different backgrounds with tolerance and understanding. According to a Harvard Business Report on Civics Education, students receiving high quality civic learning score higher on a broad range of 21st century competencies than those without. Additionally, they stated that there is a critical need for businesses, nonprofit foundations, and educational institutions to provide more experiential ways to teach civics as a supplement to teacher`s efforts in the classroom. Therefore, while the program is not vital to the district, we truly believe the work we do with students and educators in Osceola County is not only impactful and relevant, but it also helps prepare students for a lifetime of active citizenship and acquire important life skills. Close Up is not aware of any other non-partisan, non-profit educational organization, wholesaler, jobbers, retailers or vendor providing this service. We provide a one-of-a-kind customized experience for students and educators, providing opportunities for students to meet legislators and policy officials building background knowledge to efficaciously navigate their American History, Government, and Economics coursework and EOCs. Additionally, through the program students enhance their collaboration, leadership, public speaking, writing and research skills which provides ESOL and newly arrived immigrants with unique opportunities to further develop their leadership and English language skills. Upon conclusion of the program, Close Up provides a pre- and post-report to assess the gains students have made and to evaluate the program impact by measuring participants` perceptions of their civic-related self-efficacy and attitudes. Close Up Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to helping students become more effective and informed citizens. Since 1971, Close Up has remained steadfast in our dedication to civic awareness by serving nearly students and teachers, and we look forward to continuing to involve students from Osceola County in that mission.