Teen Pact

Last Friday Emily and I spent all day at the Florida Capitol.  We took part in Teen Pact which is a National Organization to teach kids all about State Government.  They go all over the country.  We are lucky enough to live in the State Capitol so we didn't have to travel far obviously, but many had come from Miami and Orlando.  Teen Pact is for 13-18 year olds and is a week long civics and government class but on Friday they do a one day class for 8-12 year olds.  We LEARNED SO MUCH!  It had to be a at least 3 months of civics classes all in one!  The kids were suppose to dress professionally.  The class is run by young men and women (they wouldn't tell us their age until the end) and they were incredible!  We asked if this was a home school "thing" because that is how my friend and I heard about it but it isn't specifically a home school organization...but they said that about 80-90% of the kids that participate are homeschoolers.  The young men and women that taught and ran the program were for the most part homeschoolers or had be home schooled.  And if that is any indication of how my daughter may or could turn out, well then I'm sold.  They were the most professional, knowledgeable, smart, courteous, happy, encouraging, informed, adult-like SIXTEEN year olds that I have EVER met!  I was totally impressed! 

One of the first things we did was pray, then the leadership team led praise and worship in the capitol meeting room for about 40 kids and their parents.  They then did a bible drill and we discovered what God says about government and authority!  They led us in a prayer walk all over the capitol praying for the Representatives and soldiers and senators, and leaders.  During one of the prayers as were were standing in a circle with a small group of the attendees, one of the very professional and courteous young men did something amazing....he THANKED his parents for their time and energy and bravery in bringing him up to love and serve the Lord.  He prayed, "Thank you for my parents who made many sacrifices to teach me at home and share with me the knowledge of God and how we can all make a difference!" 

Proverbs 22:6  Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

Proverbs 20:7  The righteous man leads a blameless life, blessed are his children after him. 

Proverbs 31:28  Her children arise and call her blessed..

To me, it was such a neat picture of how the above verses ring true, at least for this young man and his family!

We visited the House of Representatives and the Senate.  For homework prior to the class, Emily had to research and find out who our rep and senator were, write them a letter, read three chapters in a book called Real Citizenship and write her own bill.  The whole point to the class and the homework was to learn about God's purpose for Government, the three branches of the government, how a bill becomes a law (the young men and women did the most amazing skit to make this very understandable for the kids) and teach that anyone....even these young kids can do their part and be involved in local government!

We did a 22 floor capitol scavenger hunt which included finding the Governor's office and getting his business card!

Our friend defending her bill on abolishing homework!  The bills were funny, serious and everything in between.  I was actually quite impressed!  The leadership team did an awesome skit on "candy for every kid in school bill" to help the kids understand the bill process.  While being funny, they taught the correct way of presenting a bill, defending a bill and asking questions on the Senate floor.

Emily's bill was Mandatory Art Therapy for needy kids.  She had watched this show on TV about kids that had parents in jail and how art had helped them express their feelings.  I believe this is where this idea came from.  We had to write it up like an official bill and discuss how it would be funded and carried out. She first was going to raise taxes to pay for it but them remembered that most people don't like that from books we have read about presidents...so she decided to fund it through the sale of the art work online but ONLY if the children wanted to...because she said some of the emotions and art would be personal and she didn't want to take advantage of that.  She is so sweet!

I think she about peed in her pants when she had to get up in front of EVERYONE and read it!

These young men explaining how the committee system works and how to speak in front of the Senate.

They got to press Yes or No to pass the bills.

And had to ask questions in the proper manner..."Will the lady/gentleman in the well please yield for a question?"

After a public speaking class and practice on what makes people want to listen to what you have to say...it was time for graduation!  I was so impressed and cannot wait until next year!  Emily had a blast and really challenged herself!  I was so proud!  She and John Daniel ended the night with a mock legislative session using John Daniel's batman cave as the senate chamber!  I love how knowledge gets a child so excited!