Editor's Note: The following is a brief diary of Ridge High School senior Keegan McCoy's experience last summer as an intern in Washington, D.C. in the office of U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-District 11), who represents Bernards Township.

Last spring, McCoy had applied for, and won, the Bernards Township Republican Municipal Committee's scholarship to fund his internship last July. "The scholarship granted me a two-week internship with Congressman Frelinghuysen in his Washington D.C. office, [with] $1000 to be put towards travel expenses. I thought it would be a good idea to raise awareness of this unique opportunity," he said. McCoy said he hopes more students will apply for an internship through the Republican Municipal Committee next spring.

From the Outside Looking In: A Student’s Experience in American Government:

I stood outside Rayburn House Office Building, adjacent to the U.S. Capitol, dressed in jacket and tie, butterflies in my stomach and sweat glistening on my palms. Dad had gone home the night before, wishing me luck and giving me some last minute words of wisdom; “Take full advantage of this opportunity, immerse yourself in all that you do.”

For the next two weeks, as I completed my internship on Capitol Hill with Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, these were the words I lived by. After months of anticipation, my opportunity finally arrived. My experience in American government and politics had begun.

Winning a scholarship to intern, offered each spring

Three months prior to this moment, I first heard of the opportunity to compete for this internship. Each year, the Republican Municipal Committee of Bernards Township gives a high school junior $1,000 and a two-week job as an intern with Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. The application required a thorough essay, explaining your interest in government and why this opportunity would be beneficial to you.

After studying AP American Politics and Macroeconomics for a year, I knew that public service was a passion of mine. And, as a candidate for the United States Naval Academy (which requires a Congressional nomination for admittance), I knew I had to apply. Sure enough, a few weeks later I learned I had won. So began a life-changing experience.

The day before work started, I began acclimating myself with Washington, D.C. Having grown up in the suburbs, the fast-paced city life was a step outside my comfort zone to say the least. Luckily, I had arranged, through a family friend, to live in a house with students from Georgetown University, who were also completing various internships during the summer. When the day was over, I had figured out the logistics of living on my own for an extended period of time, something I had never done before.

On July 4th, as fireworks were set off over the Washington Monument, my dad said his farewells and rode back to Basking Ridge.

I entered [the] Rayburn House office building the next day with a mission. After reading an American government textbook for a semester and studying political theory, I wanted to learn something that couldn’t be taught, but rather experienced; the application of this theory in the American system. This once-in-a lifetime chance allowed me to do just that. Starting from day one, I began to observe and partake in the democratic process. As I took phone calls from constituents voicing their concerns on a particular issue, I watched C-Span, read Congressional Quarterly and even sat in the House gallery and watched congressmen debate these issues. Each day a new topic took the headlines. As other Americans watched traced politics through the media, I witnessed it first-hand.

Responsibilities of an intern

The responsibilities of an intern are far in scope. One moment you could be fielding questions on the phone from concerned citizens, and the next attending a lecture from an influential statesman.

During the months of July and August, Congress hosts a Congressional Intern Lecture Series, which allows interns to attend lectures that host some of the most powerful and interesting people on Capitol Hill. While in D.C., I attended a lecture almost every day. I saw speakers ranging from House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, to House Chaplin Patrick Conroy. I sat in on a two-hour lecture hosted by Dr. Janet Yellen, Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve, which detailed the current economic crisis and solutions to it. Attending these lectures was an educational opportunity rarely afforded to any student in high school or college.

Tours available for constituents

Another exciting aspect of being an intern is hosting tours. Upon request, a constituent can receive a private tour of the US Capitol by that Congressman or Senator’s staff. Hosting tours was a unique opportunity because you had the job of sparking that person’s interest in learning about the history of the Capitol Building and giving them a comprehensive understanding on that history. Besides the factual knowledge I learned, I also learned important speaking and inter-personal skills.

Beyond learning about government, which I certainly did, I also gained an invaluable life experience. As an intern, you can meet and talk to motivated, driven young individuals representing all 50 states. I conversed with other interns about politics, school, or their experiences in D.C. Also, living in Georgetown with university students proved a great choice. I could ask them anything and they were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Overall, this experience rates among the greatest for a high school student. I will take what I learned in those two weeks with me for the rest of my life.

_ submitted by Keegan McCoy, Ridge High School senior