The center is at the former Beverley Manor Middle School.
On Wednesday and Thursday, students participated in a Model General Assembly, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Staunton.
According to Club President Prewitt Scripps, the tradition “creates an interactive learning experience” for students over two days to discuss legislation, debate and vote. Participation gives students an idea of the democratic process in Virginia.
“And, hopefully, challenge the way you think about a wide variety of issues,” Scripps said.
Scripps said that “while some topics will be hotly debated,” he hoped students would learn to compromise and “reach a consensus” and acquire a “greater awareness of the political processes of the Virginia General Assembly and have a lifelong appreciation for the idea of diplomacy, decorum and statesmanship.”
After a swearing-in ceremony, during which students pledged to “support the Constitution of the United States and the state of Virginia,” students later broke up into committee groups as Senators and Delegates of Virginia.
“I really appreciate that you all have taken your time and your effort, both as students and as administrators, to continue this, I think, well-valued tradition,” said Del. Chris Runion Wednesday morning. Runion said that the Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continously meeting group of democratically-elected individuals. He asked the students to think about what could have happened in the last 400 years to stop that process. “Had it [stopped], we would not be here today. You all are a part of that and your future ahead will be a part of that.”
Runion added that, just as the students were stepping up to participate, if they choose not to step up as adults and serve in leadership roles and political office, then they run the risk that individuals who are less capable or interested in the community will step up.
Clerk of the Augusta County Circuit Court Steve Landes served in the Virginia House before becoming clerk.
“I believe it’s a very important program for you all to learn the legislative process,” Landes said. Approximately 40 years ago, he participated in the Model General Assembly as a student from Buffalo Gap High School. He said he hoped the students would “take each other’s opinions to heart,” but remember that majority vote rules. “You have to have a majority vote to get anything accomplished.”
Riverheads High School’s Gabriel Riccioni served as Youth Governor for the proceedings and said he hoped his classmates would respect “each other as people also trying to learn about the politics of the state of Virginia.”
Students penned various bills, including lowering the drinking age, creating a recycling program for electronic waste, lowering the age to legally carry pepper spray, constructing an additional road in and out of the Wilson complex in Fishersville, change regular school hours to 9 a.m. t0 5 p.m. and establishing free in-state tuition at public universities.
Seventeen bills were “introduced” in the House and 17 in the Senate.
While in committee meetings to discuss various bills, patrons, or the writers of each bill, could be summoned to explain and/or answer questions about their bills. Olivia Newman, a student at Fort Defiance High School, was summoned by Committee No. 3 to answer questions about House Bill No. 33, “Manage Painkillers and Regular Opioids.”
Newman is a volunteer at Augusta Health and hopes to become a physician in the United States Air Force. She said that doctors and nurses have patients who come in and complain of pain, and they cannot deny them pain medication. But some patients are using the health care system to get drugs.
“I’m trying to make regular visits for pain medications to be prescribed [the norm],” Newman said of the bill’s intent. If patients have regular physicians to treat them, refills will be more difficult to obtain. “It’s just a lot of abuse that’s not being helped.”
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Rebecca Barnabi
