A group of Bridgeport high school seniors watched a live taping of “The Daily Show” Wednesday in New York City thanks to the efforts of former Police Officer Bobby Ramos.

Ramos told News 12 that he organized the trip as a way of getting the kids out of Bridgeport and focused on people, places and things that will keep them off the streets.

He says “The Daily Show” – a late-night talk and news-satire television program — gets them thinking about big-picture issues and helps them become socially aware. He hopes it may even spark an interest in careers relating to news, politics, law or entertainment.

"Our youth need to know more about what's going on in society, more what's going on in politics,” says Ramos.

Ramos says politics affects these kids in particular because of the high-crime urban center they come from.

"If you are not aware, you're going to make the same mistakes of being apathetic, and your community and your neighborhood and your household gets passed by. You have to know what's going on,” he says.

Ramos also pointed to host Trevor Noah, 33, as a role model for the group.

"He's from South Africa…So he understands hard living, having things against you, and overcoming," says Ramos.

Ramos says he plans to take other trips with local kids as part of an ongoing cultural experience.