MEEKER | Last month, the Meeker High School Student Council started a new tradition aimed at sparking student interest in government and policymaking. The six members of the MHS Student Council Executive Committee—Sam Hightower, Montey Franklin, Graycee Cravens, Finley Deming, Landin Lopez and Adi Selle—along with senior class Vice President Reese Clatterbaugh and ‘StuCo’ chaperones Naomi Etchart and John Strate, spent two days in Denver meeting with Rio Blanco County’s state representative and senator, witnessing legislative sessions and experiencing various cultural activities. This trip was inspired by the previous Colorado Close Up program and seeks to revive that experience to enrich high school students’ understanding of the government process.
On Monday morning, Feb. 24, the group arrived at the Colorado State Capitol, recognizable by its shining gold dome. They had reserved seats in both the House and Senate chambers, where they observed state legislators at work. State Sen. Dylan Roberts introduced the group to the Colorado Senate, and state Rep. Megan Lukens hosted them at a House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee session. They also met with both legislators, discussing bills they had sponsored and learning more about their roles in government.
During the committee session, a group of representatives, including Lukens, debated Roberts’ Bill 25-038, which aimed to protect the personal information of livestock producers who file depredation claims for animals lost to wolves and other predators. Near the end of the discussion, Montey Franklin testified in support of the bill, representing the small town before the committee. Though he hadn’t planned to speak beforehand, he seized the opportunity to advocate for his home community. His words resonated with the legislators, who ultimately voted 13-0 to recommend the bill’s passage. Shortly afterward, the bill passed in the House and was signed into law by the governor on March 20.
In addition to witnessing state government in action, they explored Denver’s cultural scene. They visited the Denver Art Museum and attended a performance of The Suffragette’s Murder at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, further enriching their experience. The next morning, at the Lindsey Flanigan Courthouse, they observed the judicial process through various cases, including several DUI offenses, a drug possession case and a murder trial.
Overall, the trip was an opportunity for the MHS Student Council to gain firsthand experience in government and law. Adi Selle and Landin Lopez said, “It was a very eye-opening experience to real-life government, teaching us many things we couldn’t have learned in a classroom.”
By Sam Hightower
