This year’s legislative host at the State Capitol is Senator Jack Scott (D-Pasadena) of the 21st Senatorial District. Senator Scott currently serves as the chair of the Senate Education Committee.Student attendees compete for a seat at the conference through an application procedure that includes consideration of academic achievement, breadth of involvement in school and community activities, demonstrated interest in government, politics and public policy development, the extent to which this educational experience contributes to the student’s future plans, and recommendations from school faculty and administrators. Student senators were selected by a committee comprised of representatives from the conference presentation staff at Excellence in Presentations (creator of SLE), representatives from various financial sponsors of the event, and representatives from legislator offices in Sacramento.
Santa Paula teen to represent California’s 17th Senatorial District
August 06, 2008
Santa Paula News
Santa Paula High School junior Ricardo Rico was recently selected as the “student senator” to represent California’s 17th Senatorial District at the August 2008 session of the Sacramento Leadership Experience (SLE).
Santa Paula High School junior Ricardo Rico was recently selected as the “student senator” to represent California’s 17th Senatorial District at the August 2008 session of the Sacramento Leadership Experience (SLE). Conducted at our state’s capital, the SLE is a prestigious four-day activity where selected high school students from throughout the state get to “live the life” of a California State Senator as they engage in a living laboratory about government, public policy formulation and civics.Participants at this conclave learn about California government operations, the legislative process and public policy development, and study major issues of our state’s citizenry. As the week progresses, the student senators will take up pieces of mock legislation aimed at solving some of California’s significant problems. Working to represent the best interests of the population in the Senate District they represent, student legislators will convene their own Senate committee hearings and determine whether or not mock legislation moves to the Senate Floor.The climax of the week’s activities is the convening of a general floor session of the student senate, in the State Senate Chambers of the State Capitol Building, where student senators will debate, argue their points of view, lobby fellow senators, and ultimately vote on the mock legislation that was moved to the general session by committees. The overall experience is designed to increase understanding of government functions and policies, create awareness of major issues facing the state, and stimulate interest in becoming active, concerned and participatory citizens.
