The Capitol Dome

47 THE CAPITOL DOME SOCIETY NEWS T he We the People Constitution Tour Program is in full swing for the 2017-2018 school year. Now in its 13th year, this unique and innovative program teaches students in the District of Columbia about the first three articles of the U.S. Constitution by taking them to the sites that rep- resent those articles as well as other historically significant sites. "e U.S. Capitol Historical Society is honored to be the lead organization in a consortium that includes 10 non- profits, for-profits, and government agencies working together to accomplish more than any of us can achieve on our own," said USCHS President Ron Sarasin. "We are glad to welcome USA Guided Tours and the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center to the consortium this year. ey make the program even more impactful." Beth Plemmons, CEO, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center said, "e Capitol Visitor Center is pleased to participate in the We the People program. Each year, we welcome thou- sands of students from across the country to the Capitol, our national symbol of democracy and government. rough We the People, we are honored to welcome our Washing- ton, D.C., students to the Capitol, right in their back yard, providing an in-depth, in-person look at the Constitution and the legislative branch of government." is program is available to DC Public and DC Pub- lic Charter Schools. Preference is given to those schools in wards with the largest percentage of children living in pov- erty. About half of the students report that they had never been to sites such as the U.S. Capitol, the White House Visitor Center, or the U.S. Supreme Court before this trip. One teacher remarked: "ank you for an enriching experi- ence for our scholars—life-changing, really!" anks to donations to the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, this full-day field trip is provided free-of-charge to more than 1,000 students and teachers every year. Consortium Educates Students About the U.S. Constitution Consortium Organizations Children's Concierge DC Public Schools USA Guided Tours U.S. Capitol Historical Society U.S. Capitol Visitor Center U.S. Courts e U.S. National Archives and Records Administration U.S. National Park Service White House Historical Association White House Visitor Center Students in the Capitol Rotunda Students arrive at the U.S. Capitol. Students rehearse taking the presi- dential oath of office. ARCHITEC T OF THE C APITOL

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