SPRINGFIELD – In an event sponsored by area Sen. Erica Harriss, during the Spring YAC, students were assigned different legislative roles such as citizen proponent/opponent, lobbyist proponent/opponent, Democrat/Republican lawmakers, and press/media to debate their proposed legislation in a mock committee hearing.
“I am really interested in policymaking and the legal system, and eventually I want to be a lawyer. I really like politics and want to make a change in the world,” said Hannah Kypra of O’Fallon Township High School. “I am definitely going to take away communication skills, public speaking skills, and debate skills. It is fascinating to see how everything looks and works. It’s really great for learning how government works and how laws are made and passed.”
Students also had the opportunity to hear from Illinois Supreme Court Judge David Overstreet. This year, Senator Harriss held a Capture the Capitol photo contest, which allowed students the chance to roam the Capitol and get creative with their photography skills.
“I felt that this really gave me insight into how politics works—how I am able to see how things are implemented into laws and how laws are created,” said Anthony Adams of Madison Senior High School. “I really enjoyed seeing both the Senate Floor and the House of Representatives Floor and how they operate.”
