The Government In Action Program

We began quietly in 1989 as a way for students to meet with leaders in Washington, D.C. and to pose thoughtful questions designed to deepen our understanding of those who serve our country. As our program has developed over the past 17 years we have seen many additional positive results emerge from our efforts. We have discovered that this journey profoundly alters how we view the political process and inexorably changes the way we think about ourselves in relation to our community. We have seen that we learn deeply from those we engage in meaningful conversation and at the same time we learn so much about ourselves by preparing for and participating in a group process where personal sacrifice and mutual support are key ingredients to success.

We are creating this Government In Action web site to share our experience with our families and our community. On the site we join traditional learning methods and modern technology. After all, what is more traditional than young people learning by listening to the experiences of the elders of the community, and what could be more modern that researching on the internet, and streaming digital photos, interviews and commentary to the web? This year we partnered with the Santa Cruz Sentinel by sending back interviews and student reports of our Washington, D.C. experience which was posted on The Santa Cruz Sentinel website daily. The people at the Sentinel were kind enough to keep us in their archives, and allow us to link to their website.

About Our Journey

The Mount Madonna students spend a full year preparing for this ten-day journey. The Values In American Thought and Government Studies curriculums come together on this trip as we seek out the meaning of the experiences of those who serve in our nation’s capital. In many ways the process of preparation is the most important part of the trip. To get ready for the program the students must concentrate their energies on the many tasks required to conduct up to sixteen quality interviews in a span of ten days. They have to learn to work closely with each other and the staff. They have to be mentally prepared to deal with hurried meals, shared quarters, tight schedules, and being constantly ready to do their best under whatever circumstances present themselves.

When the trip takes place all this preparation creates a dynamic context where an enormous amount of learning happens in a very short period of time. This experience has evolved over time into an important “rite of passage” for our students helping them discover both their possibilities and responsibilities as citizens in today’s world. Since the beginning of this program in 1989 we have seen our students return each year with a profound sense of accomplishment and confidence, knowing they have achieved something special through their own efforts.

We hope you will enjoy sharing our journey. We invite your observations and questions at any point.