America's Legislators Back to School Week is designed to teach young people–the nation's future voters and leaders–what it's like to serve as an elected official: the processes, pressures, debate, negotiation, and compromise that are the very fabric of representative democracy. Utah's legislators visited schools last month and led students in mock sessions, simulated hearings, question and answer sessions, and drafting bills, to bring civics to life in the classroom.

Legislators participating in this vital civic education program exemplified the spirit of public service almost doubling visits to schools, classrooms, and students from last year.

School Visits: 165
Classroom Visits: 545
Students Visited: 16,500

A total of seven articles appeared in four daily newspapers and one weekly newspaper, and two TV channels were reported to have covered the event by following legislators into the classroom. Some legislators enjoyed visiting all of the schools within their legislative districts. Representative Dana Love visited 11 schools in her legislative district and said she had a blast facilitating mock sessions in EACH of the 55 classrooms she visited.

Legislators were very successful in building public trust and confidence in state government–as demonstrated by an enthusiastic class of 3rd graders at William Penn Elementary who gave hugs to Senator Patrice Arent as she concluded her school visit.