The Macomb County Board of Commissioners held its third annual Student Government Day on Jan. 23rd. This annual event is held to provide students from Macomb County schools with an opportunity to learn about the purpose and mechanics of county-level government and to participate in a way that would enhance their understanding of how local government works.
As he was welcoming the students, Board Chair Joe Sabatini explained that Student Government Day was created by the Board three years ago in order to develop greater local government awareness among young adults. The day was designed to get them more involved as they approach voting age.
“It is always a great opportunity to bring our next generation of leaders in to see how our legislative branch works at the County,” Sabatini said. “They get a chance to experience different facets of what we do on a daily basis and understand how we strive to make our communities better.”
To participate, students are required to submit an essay. This year’s essay topic was, "What are the most prominent current environmental threats that affect our local area and what can be done to address them?"
Commissioners choose a winning essay and the writer is awarded a $1,000 scholarship. The contest was open to all Macomb County students at public and private schools in grades 9-12.
After submitting an essay, students were invited to attend the program at the Board of Commissioners' office in downtown Mount Clemens on Jan. 23.
The day's agenda began with a welcome address by the Board Chair, followed by a presentation on the duties and responsibilities of a Commissioner with a Q&A session. Students then participated in small group discussions with Commissioners that covered topics such as transparency in government, the County budget process and common Commissioner situations. The second half of the day the students drafted a proclamation/tribute then were paired up with Commissioners for a mock meeting to close out the program.
During the full board meeting,, commissioners announced the winner of the essay, Megan Morell from Lake Shore High School was awarded the $1,000 scholarship, which was provided thanks to a partnership from Advancing Macomb, a 501c3 that convenes resources to solve community challenges and enrich the lives of Macomb County residents.
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