MGM High School students to travel to Washington, D.C.

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A select group of Mobile County students is taking a field trip, but they're not headed to a local museum.

A group of Mary G. Montgomery students will fly to Washington D.C. to witness President Barack Obama's second-term inauguration.

MGM teacher Denese Wilson is taking 10 students on a weeklong trip to Washington, where they will experience the president's inauguration, to be held on January 20, first-hand.

“We're always looking for ways to apply real life situations to the classroom, and how real can you get besides in the Nation's capital?” said Denese Wilson, who works as a civics teacher at the Semmes school.

Wilson partnered with the Close Up Foundation (external link), a non-profit which offers students interactive civic education programs.

“Close Up” provides instruction and workshops for students.

“And hopefully we're getting them involved later on in life,” said Wilson.

It costs each student $2,400 to take part, which includes all accommodations, but cost isn't the only thing keeping some from participating.

“Well, everyone is a citizen and we want them to be involved so it's primarily based on their discipline record and they do have to have good enough grades that they can afford to miss a week of school and be able to maintain their grade,” said Wilson.

Wilson has been taking students to DC for about 20 years, including for three inaugurations.

“It really is incredible, I do bring back a different student,” said Wilson.

See more info about the 2013 Presidential Inauguration here (external link .)