Exploration and Education: CIS of Atlanta Students Traveled to Washington, D.C.

Four Communities In Schools of Atlanta high school students from Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County, DeKalb County and Fulton County school systems embarked upon a 4-day immersive academic and cultural experience in Washington, D.C. with Frank Brown, CEO and Dorothy Styles, Director of Programs. The students visited several sites and attractions including Georgetown University, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Supreme Court, the U.S. Senate, the American Chemical Society, and an MLB baseball game.

Frank Brown’s, CIS of Atlanta’s CEO, primary goal of the trip was to ensure that the students, whom he affectionately refers to as his babies, were exposed to endless opportunities. Brown stated, “I want them (the students) to know that they can hold a seat on a committee in the U.S. Senate as a Senator. I want our students at CIS of Atlanta to know that if they work hard, stay humble and build valuable relationships, they can sit on the U.S. Supreme Court as former Justice Thurgood Marshall.”

Students embraced the international legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., from their hometown, while visiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. as this quote will resonate with the students for the rest of their lives:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.

This was also a trip of first experiences for the students. The students saw their first, live MLB (Nationals vs. Giants) baseball game during their visit to Washington, D.C. and three of the four students experienced flying an airplane for the first time!

"The field trip taught me many things. One thing in particular is to never give up on my dreams and to keep pushing through! The visit to Washington, D.C. motivated me even more to attend college after visiting the with the students who are currently attending college. What I learned most from this trip is that anything is possible by trying and to never giving up. The thing I liked most was our visit to the Museum of African American History and Culture."

- Leslie Anguiano

CIS of Atlanta Student/Junior, Cross Keys High School

"My visit to Washington D.C was one of a kind! We were treated like a VIP guest everywhere we went from private tours of colleges to meeting with Makan Delrahim and Anthony Pitagno. Also, the most important part of the experience was the advice we received. One thing that I learned was college is possible but in life sometimes you will never know what possibilities exist until you decide to take a risk."

- Cierra McCarty

CIS of Atlanta Student/South Atlanta High School