State Senator Chapin Rose welcomed high school students from across the 51st Senate District to the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield to learn more about the state’s legislative process as part of his Youth Advisory Council (YAC) program.
“It’s important for young students to get involved because we are the next generation who are going to be making decisions,” said Lily Rice, student from St. Joseph Ogden High School. “If someone was on the fence about coming to Sen. Rose’s YAC, I would tell them to come because you will learn a lot from it.”
Sen. Rose’s YAC program allows local high school students to learn more about Illinois State Government. During the recent YAC meeting, students took on the various roles involved in the legislative process for a mock committee hearing in an actual committee room at the Capitol. The students served as lawmakers, reporters, concerned citizens, and lobbyists, advocating for and against a mock legislative proposal in a simulated Senate committee hearing. This year, the bill they negotiated focused on the Mahomet Aquifer, a critical water source that affects most students in the district.
“I have always had an interest in politics and how the government works, so I thought this would be a really fun experience,” said Jeremiah Todd, student from Fisher High School. “I really enjoyed doing the mock bill committee. It is different getting to see firsthand how the committees operate and how the bill gets into law.”
“This is a great opportunity for students to engage themselves in the legislative process,” said Sen. Rose. “These students are our future, and I was very impressed by the group.”
Sen. Rose’s YAC program is open to high school students in the 51st Senate District each year. He encourages interested students to ask their teachers and/or principals to take part in future YAC programs.