By Caitlin Kelly
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Senior Jessica Kawana had the opportunity to represent Hawaii at the 2011 Congressional Academy for American History and Civics from June 26 to July 8 in Washington D.C. One hundred and twelve students from across the nation were selected and Kawana was one of the two representatives from Hawaii.

According to the Congressional Academy website, “The Congressional Academy for American History and Civics will lead high school students in a careful study of the pivotal turning points in American history.” Lessons were centered on the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address and the “I Have A Dream” speech.

“I enjoyed U.S. History and I thought it would be a really good experience to go to D.C. and learn about history where history actually occurred,” Kawana said of her decision to attend.

Before even being allowed to participate, Kawana went through a selective application process with a recommendation from Social Studies Teacher Amy Perruso. “I nominated her because she’s extremely curious and insightful about primary sources, so that she was willing to interrogate primary sources and learn how to look at historical narratives from different perspectives,” Perruso said.

Once accepted, Kawana had the chance to take classes and go on outings around Washington D.C. to monuments like the Supreme Court Building, Library of Congress and National Archives. “I particularly enjoyed the Civil Rights Movement because I felt that we touched upon some of the deeper topics in AP US History but we didn’t have time to discuss it so thoroughly,” she said.

Because there were participants from every state, Kawana was immersed in various cultures. “I think the most amazing part is the diversity of the students who attended because we did have the entire nation and I had the opportunity to meet people from Alaska, to California, to New York to Texas,” she said.

Kawana felt that there was much to be taken away from her experience at the Congressional Academy. “As far as study habits and the level of discussion which we developed in D.C., that will be very valuable in the future,” she explained.

Perruso agreed that the Congressional Academy provided invaluable experiences. “Really, Hawaii didn’t become a part of American history until very late in American history. So students don’t really have a sense of being immersed in that culture and I think for them to go and see the ways in which people from other parts of the country talk about American history, it’s good for them,” she expressed.

For more information on the Congressional Academy, visit www.congressionalacademy.com