head('title', "} } } Social Groups ||| Presidential Classroom for Young Americans (Washington D.C., Spring 1997) ||| René-Marc Simard"); $PS_TPL->head('body', 'PageGroups'); $PS_BREAD = array(); $PS_BREAD[] = array("Social Groups", 'groups'); $PS_BREAD[] = array("Presidential Classroom"); $PS_TPL->load('common_header'); ?>

The US are our natural ally; might as well get to know them. This is what Presidential Classroom is all about: understanding USA's political process firsthand and preparing young leaders for responsible citizenship. 400 students participate in each one of the 15 week-long programs held in Washington D.C., but only the "Future World Leaders Summit" is also open to non-Americans. There we were thought the basics of international relations from the world's only superpower's perspective, how to use diplomacy to negotiate deals and treaties during a surprisingly realistic (and life-like frustrating) UN model, and how economics is shaping the world today. Yes, an American vision, but one that I can now understand better. We got to meet senators, congressmen and other star speakers, explore the Capitol and the Supreme Court and visit the White House. Woot!

Tourist highlights: I got seriously lost in the Capitol's sub terrain network that links administrative buildings and rode a few times in the senators' private metro system (that was before 9/11; now access is restricted). We were let loose for 3 hours at the Smithsonian, where I make a beeline to the Air & Space Museum and was blown away at seeing Charles Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis, the Wright Brothers' Wright Flyer and the Enola Gay's fuselage and bomb-launching bay (nowadays fully restored). Seeing Apollo 11's re-entry capsule, a V2 as well as Skylab's and Vikings' backup sisters was a real kick too.

Presidential Classroom is the sibling program to Forum for Young Canadians, but alas is more expensive. Totally loved it!

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