Engadine Students Learn About Government First Hand
By Karen Gould

Three Engadine High School sophomores met with Mackinac County Commissioners Thursday, February 28, to learn about county government. Pictured are (from left) Michael Klobucher, Larry Leveille, Kayla Miller, Calvin "Bucky" McPhee, Leah Blanchard, Mike Patrick, Carl Frazier, and Dawn Nelson. Missing from photograph are sophomore Elisa Hobbs and senior Joel Van Hise.

Five high school students got a glimpse into county government Thursday, February 28, when they spent part of the day with commissioners touring county offices, learning about operations, and being briefed on the responsibilities and role of a commissioner. In the evening, they attended a county commission meeting and participated in public discussion.

Next month, the students will head tour the Lansing capitol with other Michigan youth as part of the 4-H Capitol Experience program.

"The idea," said 4-H leader Jim Ramelis, "is to familiarize the team with the way government works."

Since December, the group has attended a school board meeting and a township meeting. They also have been studying government, writing letters to state legislators, and raising funds to help pay for the trip to Lansing.

"They're motivated students," he said, "who had to go beyond the norm to learn about government."

While in Lansing, the Engadine students will have a breakfast meeting with Senator Jason Allen and Representative Gary Mc- Dowell before touring their offices and the Capitol.

"It's really a great program," said sophomore Leah Blanchard. "It's a great experience, and not just for nerds wanting to become a politician."

Miss Blanchard found the tour of county offices an opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes in county government. Register of Deeds Diane Frankovich showed how records are kept by searching for deeds under the name Blanchard. The historical deeds found during the search, said Miss Blanchard, were a surprise to her. She now hopes to return to the department with her father, who is a family history buff.

About 100 students from across Michigan participate in the Capitol Experience program each year in Lansing. The four-day event begins for the local students March 9, where they will learn about setting policy, the citizen's responsibility in state government, and bill writing. Using their local government experience, students will be able to compare the workings of local and state government. They will also meet students from around the state and learn about their schools and communities.

The program, which began in 1982, is open to all students in grades nine through 12. This year, Engadine Consolidated Schools is the only Mackinac County school to participate. Students are Michael Klobucher, Kayla Miller, Leah Blanchard, and Elisa Hobbs, and senior Joel Van Hise.