280 high schoolers head to DC for Arizona Cardinals’ annual Civics Matters trip

PHOENIX — The Arizona Cardinals’ fifth annual Civics Matters trip departed from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Wednesday morning, taking 280 high school students from 55 high schools across the state to Washington, D.C.

The students will tour national museums, meet with federal lawmakers such as Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani and Sen. Mark Kelly, visit the U.S. Supreme Court and learn about American history and politics during the four-day trip.

Shaun Mayo, the Cardinals’ chief people officer, said Washington is a “living classroom” to show students how the government works and understand their role in it.

“You’re never too young or never not in a position where you can make a meaningful difference,” he said. “And so, a lot of what happened in our country and the founding of our country 250 years ago happened through the youth.”

Civics Matters is a year-round program for students in grades 6-12.

Arizona’s NFL team partnered with Desert Financial Credit Union and insurance company Gallagher to sponsor the Washington trip, which is for high schoolers.

To be eligible, students had to submit an essay or project related to civics. The selected students represent 28 school districts across nine of Arizona’s 15 counties.

What students are saying about Cardinals’ Civics Matter trip

Taylor Celle, an incoming senior at Phoenix’s Shadow Mountain High School, said her project was a slideshow about the different ways local students like her could get involved in civics.

“People who are underage may not be able to vote, but they can share causes they care about with people who can vote,” she said. “So, I wrote about that and I wanted to do it because it can be kind of daunting to try and find a way to be involved when you’re not able to vote.”

Elliot Hunts-In-Winter is a junior at Skyline High School in Mesa. She said that as a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, she wants to speak to the Congress members students will meet about Native American representation.

“To me, it’s important that Native Americans get representation, especially in like civics and stuff. We don’t get thought about a lot when bills and stuff are made. So, it’s important to me that we are recognized when those things happen,” she said.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

Related

Where does Arizona rank in terms of racial equality in classroom?1st-generation Arizona students can face unique challenges when applying for collegeArizona voters to choose Republican and Democratic nominees for top education positionFormer Mesa High School official claims that an inaccurate police report destroyed his careerFormer ASU President, who elevated university’s status, dies at 89Peoria Unified names new principal for school at center of teacher sex scandal