Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — High school students from all over Massachusetts descended on the State House Friday to get real-world experience in policy making.
“I’ve never done anything like this before so I’m really excited to see how everyone works and what the inside looks like,” said one student there.
Student Government Day happens every April on Beacon Hill, with teenagers in blazers getting put into roles of elected officials to observe and learn.
“Someone will be playing the role of governor, they’ll go into a session, they’ll do hearings, they’ll take their bill, they’ll follow their bill through the process and then they’ll go into the Senate, into the House …” said State Rep. Michael Soter.
One of the major pieces of pending legislation that the students focused on was the STUDY Act, which seeks to ban cell phones for students during school hours, on school grounds and during school-sponsored activities.
The students got to offer their own insight into the bill that would directly impact them. One student called the bill “absurd.”
“I feel a little nervous but mostly excited, it’s a cool little glimpse into how our government functions. I feel pretty prepared,” said another student.
Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
Soter, representing Worcester’s 8th District, participated as a student himself on Student Government Day in 1999. He said the program gives students more insight into what can often be hidden behind State House doors.
“What’s great about this is they understand the difference between state government and Congress because everything they see on TV is Congress, they don't really see too much of that from us up here,” Soter said.
Soter said the students bring a new perspective to the job of a state lawmaker, and was optimistic that at least some students would follow in his path.
“These guys are gonna move very quickly in government. Doesn't always happen in government, but maybe they’ll set an example for all of us and we move a little bit faster,” Soter said.
WBZ's Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.