CWHS Senior Cooper Antczak Gets U.S. Senate Experience
Politics and affiliations aside, most will agree that public service isn’t necessarily meant for the faint of heart. It is a hard road to travel and there is a lot more to running the government than most people will ever fully understand. However, CWHS Senior Cooper Antczak was recently able to experience the inner workings of our government and political system first hand after being selected as a delegate to the United States Senate Youth Program.
The United States Senate Youth Program is a unique educational experience for high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in public service. High school juniors and seniors may apply, but only two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity are selected to serve as delegates to Washington Week. In December, CWHS Senior Cooper Antczak was notified that he was selected as one of two delegates from Wisconsin.
Antczak actually applied last year, and was named an alternate. He decided to go through the application process again this year, which includes writing essays about various government and service-related topics, letter of recommendations, submitting a short video and taking part in an interview. This time around, Antczak was selected for the program and was off to the nation’s capital.
The Annual Washington Week was held in the District of Columbia March 2-9. Delegates, including Antczak, spend the week experiencing their government in action. They hear major policy addresses from senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and other directors of federal agencies. They also participate in meetings with a U.S. Supreme Court justice and the President of the United States. Each delegate is also awarded a $10,000 scholarship for undergraduate studies.
During this time in Washington D.C., Antczak’s visit was filled with a plethora of activities that can only be described as once-in-a-lifetime. Among the highlights: a visit to the Supreme Court to hear from Justice Elena Kagan, a group visit with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, time with U.S. Representatives and Senators, and a stop at the National Portrait gallery and the National Archives. Perhaps topping it all off, however, was a stop at the White House in which he not only got to watch President Biden deliver the State of the Union address, but also got to pose for a group photo with the president upon his return from the U.S. Capitol later that night.
“Being inside the Supreme Court where they actually deliberate was cool,” recalls Antczak. “But being in the White House was CRAZY! There were a lot of politically active people in our group, not all of whom believed the same things. So when something was said [in the State of the Union address], some people might stand, others would not. It was divisive, but respectful. We would take pictures with one another and just say ‘We’re IN THE WHITE HOUSE!’ Then the anticipation and waiting for President Biden to come back to the White House we could take our picture with him – it was amazing. It was a surreal experience.”
Antczak said this was his first experience in Washington D.C., so just being there was cool in and of itself. He also noted, however, that having the ability to hear and speak to people who we often point fingers at but really don’t know put a lot of things into perspective.
“It was cool to talk to people who make these decisions,” says Antczak. “You meet them and realize you may not agree on X, Y and Z, but they also have their opinions. It was an honor to talk with them and hear from them about their experiences.”
Even with all of the once-in-a-lifetime experiences Antczak gained from his time in D.C., one of the things he knows he will always take with him are the friendships he gained.
“Half of the fun was just meeting people,” admits Antczak. “All of them were so informed. It was great just to be around like-minded people who are interested in the same things you are. In the middle of it all, I felt like this could be my life now. And then it was Saturday and you have to go home and you won’t see these people. Having that community was nice, and you don’t realize how important those people were to you until you are on your way home.”
Though Antczak relished the new people he met and experiences he gained, it also made him aware of how central it is to remind yourself of your roots. He reflected on the importance of keeping people from your hometown in mind, even as you might represent other people.
“It is important to remember those people and that you have a responsibility to them and where you come from,” noted Antczak. “You realize how heavy of a crown it is to be a public servant. It’s not a job for everyone. There is so much going through your mind and so many different people you represent. You start to understand as a whole how important the government is and how they are really just trying to make the country a better place.”
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