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Students persuade committee: citizen science memorial wins unanimous due pass
Summary
Fifth‑grade students who participate in Wild Friends presented Senate Memorial 13 calling for a state citizen science day; the Senate Rules Committee gave the memorial a unanimous due pass after student testimony highlighting low cost and educational benefits.
Fifth‑grade students who participate in the Wild Friends citizen‑science program persuaded the Senate Rules Committee to give Senate Memorial 13 a unanimous due pass after in‑person testimony that emphasized hands‑on learning and no added cost.
Senator Sandia Lopez introduced the students and said Wild Friends operates in classrooms across the state. Four students — Mia Gonzalez, Vivian Cook, Audrey Eldred and Scout Ducart — testified as expert witnesses about the memorial, which asks the Legislature to recognize citizen science, encourage classroom use, and designate an official citizen science day.
“I’m in the fifth grade at Pasqual Elementary,” Mia Gonzalez told the committee. “Citizen science can be helpful because students across New Mexico can help government agencies like the Department of Game and Fish by collecting data that will help protect natural resources such as grass, the air, and nature.”
Student witnesses described classroom projects that upload observations to Nature’s Notebook and said the memorial would cost nothing to implement. Vivian Cook said the students were proposing April 25 as the citizen science day.
Committee members praised the students’ preparation and the program’s educational value. Senator Bergman moved a “due pass.” After a roll call the chair announced a unanimous due pass, and the memorial will proceed to later committee consideration and floor scheduling as the Legislature’s process requires.
The hearing highlighted youth engagement in policy formation and classroom‑to‑capitol civic participation; students told the committee they helped draft the memorial and voted on its topic.
