Boy & Girls Club of Pharr – San Juan coordinated a memorable weeklong trip for club teens to explore historic Washington D.C. Alongside organizational leaders & chaperones, teens embarked on a five-day trip, visiting our capitol’s monuments, learning its great history, and meeting national politicians and key leaders.

This unforgettable trip was brought together by the organization’s Youth Leadership Program, where select teens are able to become Junior Staff, gaining first hand work experience throughout their afterschool or summer semester at the club. This group exemplified leadership and commitment to growth throughout the year showing distinguished work ethic and positivity.

Seeing their incredible dedication, Boys & Girls Club of Pharr – San Juan planned the Washington visit to provide an exciting, educational, and inspiring experience. Each day was filled with diverse activities to learn about the foundation of the capital and the current processes of the political system.

Day 1- Travel Day to Washington D.C. For some, this was their first time traveling by plane or out of state. The group was thrilled in anticipation for all the tours, meetings and fun that was ahead.

Day 2-  Teens had a day full of learning and new experiences. They had the honor of meeting with Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, touring the U.S. Capitol Building, sitting in on the House Gallery to witness the 118th Congress in action, identifying past/current Speakers of the House, and learning about the many historical artifacts throughout the Capitol.

Day 3- Teens had the awesome opportunity of a meet and greet with U.S. Senator John Cornyn from Texas and his staff. The group also had the rare opportunity to sit in on a U.S. Senate Committee Meeting on the Judiciary, Executive Committee Meeting. The topics of discussion were subpoena authorization for the Supreme Court and District Judge nominees. Later, they were also allowed to join the Senate Gallery for some live debate and votes.

Explorations also included tours of the Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Washington Monument, and The White House.

Day 4-  The group took in fun attractions to cap their last day in Washington D.C. including the Smithsonian National Zoo. They ended the trip at a local spot for dinner and reflection on this eventful trip.

Day 5- Travel day back to the Rio Grande Valley where families awaited with welcome signs and excitement to be reunited with their teens.

The Washington Trip was a new and cool experience for me. The flight and travel brought some different nerves but being able to see the White House up close was very cool. I enjoyed visiting places like The Reflection Pool and the World War II Memorial. Being able to meet Vicente Gonzalez and hear about his support for the Boys & Girls Clubs was a great experience. I also was able to take some really pretty, memorable photos throughout the trip.

-Amerie, Teen Member

Visiting Washington was a 10/10 experience, and I really appreciate the Boys & Girls Club of Pharr – San Juan for the opportunity. This was my first time traveling via airplane and I really enjoyed it. My highlight was definitely all the sightseeing and attractions especially the White House, The Reflection Pool and the Zoo.

-Andralyn, Teen Member

“This was an incredible trip to provide to an incredible group of teens. Through this, our teens created great memories, had hands-on learning experiences, and were able to truly observe the operations of Washington. It was an honor to make this a reality for this group, and I am confident this experience will support their leadership in the future. We thank all of our Boys & Girls Club of Pharr – San Juan supporters, without whom opportunities like this would not be possible.” said Chief Executive Officer, Alfredo “Freddy” Mata, Jr.