Fifteen Albert Lea High School students traveled to St. Paul last week to learn more about the legislative process.

The four-day Youth in Government event allowed students to write legislation and debate the bills in committees before they were sometimes sent to the student-run House and Senate and could be signed by the student-governor. 

The Albert Lea students who participated in the event were Ashler Benda, Maggie Eggum, Alivia Adams, Spencer Chicos, Culley Larson, Brandon Turrubiartes, Marty Syverson, Joseph Pulley, Kenzie Patten, Katie Funk, Abbi Patten, Daysha Luttrell, Jaeda Koziolek and Kali Benson.

“I think that Youth in Government is a great way to learn about the bill process, how to speak when you are in a House and Senate, and the ability to speak your mind,” Adams said.

“I like Youth in Government because I get to meet real people in government and hear their experiences,” Chicos said.

Bills authored by Funk and Luttrell were signed by the student-governor, and the governor reportedly had a member of his student cabinet testify as to what he liked about Funk’s bill that addressed mental illness.

Bills students considered included possibly changing the legal smoking age to 21, changing the minimum age of having a driver’s license from 16 to 14 and other legislation that mirrors bills addressed in real legislatures.

“I listened to a lot of debate on that, and the students had a lot of reasons why or why not, and they’re very determined in their answers,” said Sally Skrlin, parent of a former Youth in Government student. “You can just tell they feel it, they just know what they really think is right.”

Albert Lea High School was one of about 50 districts and 1,600 students across the state who participated. Students portrayed lobbyists during the event.

Skrlin said students who otherwise would have been too shy to say their opinions became emboldened by their passion in the legislation being considered. Students spoke of how the event helped them have a better understanding about government operations.

“I think that Youth in Government is a great opportunity to grow,” Koziolek said. “Coming into Youth in Government, I knew very little about our government and how laws were made. When I left, I had learned tons about all of the steps and people that contribute to a bill being passed.” 

Next year’s officers were elected during the session. In the months prior to the event, student delegations met in towns and learned how to operate the four-day session.

Two Houses and Senates were available at the hotel students stayed in so more people could participate in the process, and juniors and seniors conducted a session in the Capitol.

Delegation Director Dennis Dieser said the program has long-term benefits for participants.

“There’s a lot that have gone into legal careers, or lawyers,” he said. “The benefit to them has been great.”

Eighth-graders learned the entire program by attending a leadership corps program. They toured the Capitol, learned parliamentary procedures, became aware of media and judicial corps and learned to write legislation.

Albert Lea has sent a delegation to the event for 34 years.

Patten said the event rewards hard work.

“Youth in Government is a great way to meet a lot of people,” she said. “You get out of it what you put into it.”