State Senator Neil Anderson recently welcomed several area high school students from the 47th Legislative District to Springfield as part of his Youth Advisory Council (YAC), offering them a firsthand look at the legislative process.
“Programs like the Youth Advisory Council give students a valuable opportunity to engage in state government, understand how laws are made, and see the importance of civic involvement,” said Senator Anderson. “It’s encouraging to see so many young people eager to learn and share their perspectives.”
During the YAC, students were assigned various legislative roles, including citizen proponent/opponent, lobbyist proponent/opponent, Democrat and Republican lawmakers, and members of the press. They used these roles to debate proposed legislation in a mock committee hearing, focusing on whether motorcycle riders should be required to wear a helmet while riding in Illinois.
“I just think it’s interesting seeing and thinking in all the different perspectives of everything,” said Tayauh Dutton of Pekin Community High School. “If you take it to the extreme, it can go here, but if you think about it this way, it can go there. I just think it’s cool to see how it operates. It kind of puts things into perspective for you, and it’s not always what it looks like on TV.”
“I think that it’s super important when you’re looking at the youth that’s currently attending here. We all want to share our perspective, and that’s going to lead to a stronger future generation,” said Jolene Blackert of Cambridge High School. “This is a great way that you can learn what you can do as a citizen at both the local, district, and state level.”
Students also had the opportunity to hear from former Senator Matt Murphy and State Representative Travis Weaver. In addition, they participated in a “Capture the Capitol” photo contest, which encouraged them to explore the Capitol and creatively document their experience.
“When we visited the Capitol, I saw many unique buildings and unique artwork. It was a very cool place to visit,” said Max Layton of Havana High School. “Being in the footsteps of people who have walked there before and seeing all the people who have congregated in the area, it’s just a great experience. State government impacts your everyday life, and it’s important for people to know how this works.”
Refreshments and lunch for the Youth Advisory Council were provided by Meridian Health Plan of Illinois.