Tea Area students describe Pierre trip, present school-year projects

Student council representatives from multiple Tea Area School District 41-5 schools told the school board about a recent legislative‑learning trip to Pierre and reported on local student council activities. Students described meeting state officials, touring the Capitol and organizing school events such as bake sales and playground improvements.

Veda Van Beek, the fifth‑grade student council president from Venture Elementary, said the group toured the Capitol and learned from Doug of the Legislative Research Council, who "told us that he was the legislative page when he was a teenager and has worked at the capitol for about 45 years." Camden Moses, a fifth‑grade student and Venture student council treasurer, summarized what the group learned about the legislative process: "We listened to the process of how a bill became a law. We learned the term hog house, which is how a bill can be changed." Several students described meeting officials including School of Public Lands Commissioner Brock Greenfield and a former governor; one student said the visits helped them understand the role of media and government.

Elementary Legacy Student Council members also reported on school activities and fundraising. Genevieve Decker (fifth grade) and other elementary council members described a petition and classroom speech process used for elections, a school art project tied to this year’s theme, a Red Ribbon awareness week and a bake sale that raised "over $600" to buy testing snacks and recess items. The students outlined future plans: a school‑wide kindness challenge, another bake sale during spring conferences, and buying a volleyball net for the third‑through‑fifth‑grade playground.

The board and district staff thanked the students and advisors; the board paused to take group photographs with the students and chaperones. No district policy changes or formal board actions were taken as part of the presentations.