Students Visit the Capitol

On March 23rd and 24th, eight students on the AV Jr/Sr High Service Learning Team traveled to  Sacramento to visit the State Capitol. The purpose of the field trip was: 1) to have students experience first-hand how decisions that impact their everyday lives are made at the state level, and how we as citizens have the power to influence those decisions; and 2) to have students speak about the Skatepark Project with their state representatives, and garner support for the cause.  

We are so grateful to Senator McGuire and Assemblyman Wood for each setting aside significant time to meet with the students, and a big thanks to their staffers for coordinating our Capitol visit and these meetings. Each student stepped up to take an active role in the conversations with the representatives, explaining the background of their group and this project, and the critical importance of developing recreation opportunities in Anderson Valley. It was a proud moment for all of us! Senator McGuire and Assemblyman Wood were inquisitive and emphatically supportive, and offered to help support the group's efforts however possible. Since our visit, each of their office's provided wonderful letters of support of the AV Skatepark Project's application for the CalTrans Clean CA grant program. Thank you!!

And another huge THANK YOU to Superintendent Simson for finding district funds to cover half of the cost of this trip, and to the Anderson Valley Education Foundation for funding the other half!