Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard met with more than 60 Los Angeles-area participants of the non-profit Close Up Program for New Americans, including Roosevelt High School senior Alis Ortiz of Boyle Heights (pictured) in the congresswoman's 34th District. The congresswoman spoke about her work in Congress and urged the students to further their education after high school as a way of getting ahead in today's competitive workforce. Under the program's mission to "inspire and empower" students by giving them the knowledge and tools to become participants in our democracy, the Close Up Program for New Americans gives recently immigrated and migrant middle school and high school students, the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to become informed and active citizens in the United States.  The Program for New Americans started almost twenty years ago and brings about a thousand students annually to Washington, D.C. for one-week visits to learn about Congress and our nation's federal government. The students - all children of current or former migrant workers -  participated under the auspices of the California Migrant Education Office Region X located in Downey. The Region X office is one of 22 regional migrant student offices in the state and provides guidance for migrant students throughout the Los Angeles area.  Funding for the students' trip was made possible through the California Department of Education's use of federal Migrant Education Funds as well as the Close Up Fellowship Program.
 

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