On October 26, 29 students from the 26th Senate District took part in State Senator Dan McConchie’s first Youth Advisory Council at the Ela Area Public Library which gave students a hands-on learning experience about public policy and the legislative process.
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“I hope that today’s Youth Advisory Council provided these students with not only the knowledge on how state government works, but also the skills to work together in a group and to respect different opinions,” said Sen. McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods).
Students from Adlai Stevenson, Barrington, Lake Zurich, Mundelein, and Vernon Hills high schools took part in the 2016 Fall Youth Advisory Council.
The program began with a variety of speakers including, Congressman Peter Roskam, State’s Attorney Mike Nerheim, Jim Slusher from the Daily Herald, and Bonnie Conte, small business owner.
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| Congressman Peter Roskam speaks to students at the Youth Advisory Council |
Students then broke into groups to develop ideas for possible state legislation. They then took a popular vote on one mock legislative proposal that addresses the allocation of education funds.
That proposal will carry over to the Spring Youth Advisory Council which will take place on-site at the Capitol in Springfield. There, the students will participate in a mock committee hearing where they will discuss the legislative proposal in detail. While in Springfield, students will also get to visit the floor of the Senate and experience the legislative process first-hand.
“It was so exciting to see the students engage in the policy-making process,” said McConchie. “I look forward to meeting with them again in the spring where they’ll get the full Springfield experience.”