SPS 2017: Goodbye and Good Luck to the St. Albans School of Public Service Class of 2017!

It is one minute past noon, and the last member of the St. Albans School of Public Service Class of 2017 (all 50 of you -- a new record!) is now homeward bound.  Goodbye, good luck, and stay in touch!

Official SPS 2017 Class Photo

SPS 2017: Late Night In Gregory Court

The traditional post-banquet gathering (aka "S'mores and Selfies") in Gregory Court had an added bonus this year, as talented musician Joe N. of the St. Albans School of Public Service Class of 2017 gave an impromptu concert.  (If Joe makes it big in the music world, we are putting our marker down in the SPS Blog with an official "we knew he would!")

Joe N. after his impromptu performance 

SPS 2017: Final SPS Debate -- the SPS Senate is in Session!

On the last full day of the session, the St. Albans School of Public Service Class of 2017 took part in a culminating Congressional-style debate (with each student as a Senator representing an American state) on the legislative bills that they have drafted, lobbied for, and "publicized" (within our little closed SPS society) throughout the session.  Throughout the weeks, they honed their speaking and debating skills in case studies and in Mr. Bishop's Public Speaking class, and today the eloquence in the "St. Albans Senate Chamber" was, well, pretty dazzling!

SPS 2017: Coast Guard Officer Thomas "Buddy" Bardenwerper

The St. Albans School of Public Service class of 2017 heard from another inspiring speaker this last week of the program: Lieutenant Thomas ("Buddy") Bardenwerper of the United States Coast Guard, an an alumnus of St. Albans School and Harvard College.  Lieutenant Bardenwerper spoke not only about the mission of the U.S. Coast Guard but his own path to public service.

SPS 2017: Twilight Monument Tour

There's a lot to do during the last week of SPS -- but we found time on a beautiful summer evening to take the bus downtown for a beautiful twilight walking tour of the Monuments.

SPS 2017 class members at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Two SPS 2017 Californians in front of their state's pillar of the WWII Memorial

SPS 2017: Simulated National Security Council (NSC) Meeting

St. Albans School of Public Service alums know that a key feature of the program are simulations -- whether the group advocacy project or the mock Supreme Court case, a simulation puts the SPS student in the shoes of the policy maker and, usually, on the spot as they have to make difficult (simulated) decisions in real time.  Today, SPS was privileged to have one of our SPS Board Members, Mr. John Bellinger, lead the simulation.  Mr. Bellinger served as Legal Advisor to both the Department of State and the National Security Council (NSC) during the George W. Bush Administration, and today he led our students in a simulated National Security Council meeting responding to a (simulated, fortunately) crisis in the Pacific region.

SPS 2017: A Visit With the German Ambassador to the United States

One of the lesser-recognized advantages to living in Washington, D.C. is being able to take advantage of the considerable cultural enrichment offered by the diplomatic community staffing Washington's Embassies.  Tonight, the St. Albans School of Public Service Class of 2017 was lucky enough to be able to spend an evening at the Residence of the German Ambassador to the United States.  After a question-and-answer session with the Honorable Peter Wittig, Germany's Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Wittig and his family hosted SPS for dinner at the Residence and, afterwards, our students were able to stroll the beautiful Residence grounds. 

SPS 2017: A Pilgrimage to the "Temple of Knowledge" (Also Known as the Library of Congress)

Sometimes known as the "Temple of Knowledge," America's Library of Congress is a marvel not to be missed.  The St. Albans School of Public Service 2017 made its pilgrimage to the Library of Congress today for a private, guided tour of the amazing building and the World War I exhibit, "Echoes of the Great War."  SPS '17 is grateful to the staff and volunteers at the Library of Congress for spending so much time with our group.

SPS 2017: An Outing to National Public Radio (NPR)

Who knew that just by attending the St. Albans School of Public Service 2017 program you might get to hold an actual Grammy?  Well, not us, actually!  The chance to hold the Grammy (and pose with) a an actual Grammy Award was a surprise perk during SPS '17's visit to National Public Radio.  In addition to speaking with producers and on air news broadcasters, SPS '17 visited the site of the renowned "Tiny Desk Concerts" -- a decade long series of concerts held at the desk of "All Songs Considered" NPR Host Bob Boilen.  (Click HERE for an article on the Tiny Desk Concerts.).  Thank you to all at National Public Radio for allowing SPS to visit NPR headquarters and learn more about careers at NPR and journalism in general.

SPS 2017: A Visit to Maryland's Eastern Shore

After two weeks of exploring the D.C. Metropolitan area, the St. Albans School of Public Service class of 2017 ventured further afield this weekend and visited Maryland's Eastern Shore.  SPS '17 began the day with a narrated-history cruise of Chesapeake Bay and finished up with a classic Eastern Shore crab feast at the home of SPS 2017 classmate Henry.  Old Bay for everyone!