Boyne City students describe Youth in Government trip to Lansing

A group of Boyne City middle-school students told the board they had a “great learning experience” during a Youth in Government trip to Lansing and that two students’ bills ultimately reached the youth governor’s desk and were signed.

Teacher Allison Dap introduced five students and said the program teaches parliamentary procedure, public speaking and responsibility. Student presenters described committee work, parades and participating in a mock legislature. One student said, “I was speaker of house for the legislative branch, and it was a good experience for me,” and described practicing professional speaking and answering questions before delegates voted.

Dap said the group included sixth- and seventh-graders and that the trip helped students learn how bills are introduced and can advance through committee to the youth governor. She told the board the delegation numbered several hundred statewide and that this year “out of five kids, two of them have their bills get to her desk and she signed it.”

Board members thanked the students for their presentation and noted ways the program can build civic skills that feed into the district’s broader social studies and career-technical education work. The students collected signatures after the meeting for their civics projects and the board encouraged them to report back after the closed session.