Two Emporia High School students were in Topeka Wednesday to shadow State Sen. Donald Betts, D-Wichita. The activity was held in conjunction with the first “Gifted and Talented Day,” proclaimed last week by Governor Sebelius.
Erica Bennett and Chase Miller, who are in the district’s gifted program, were pleased with the experience, and with the man they were shadowing for the “Faces of the Future” segment of the activity.
“I was curious to see how the day would unfold because he and I had somewhat different views concerning the war,” Bennett said.
Betts was scheduled to introduce a bill that would limit Kansas involvement in sending additional troops to Iraq.
Their teacher, Marcia Law, said that it was good for the local students to shadow a legislator from a different district and heritage, as well as one with political beliefs different from their own.
“There was an awkward moment when we talked about the legislation,” Miller said. “Myself and my accomplice, Erica Bennett, we’re both Republicans. And Sen. Betts is a Democrat. We had a little discussion about the troop legislation.”
Betts was scheduled to introduce legislation Wednesday that would make Kansas the first state in the union to withdraw support for the war in Iraq, and the pair from EHS were to be on the Senate floor with him when the bill was introduced.
The bill was not introduced that day, but it was discussed among the senator and his two shadows.
“I guess we were more favorable toward the president’s proposal to send more troops over,” Miller said. “However, (Betts) was a very open person. ... He listened to our ideas and talked to us about his ideas about his legislation.”
Miller was impressed that Betts was serving as state senator at only 28 years of age.
“Since he was close to our age, we could really relate to him,” Miller said.
Earlier in the day, they met with lobbyists from the American Cancer Society and learned what the lobbyists’ role is in dealing with legislators.
“I’m interested in a career in political science or law, and these are the people who are making the laws, making the differences, making the big decisions in our communities,” Miller said. “One day I would like to be one of those poeple.”
The EHS students share a deep interest in politics. Miller said he wants to study political science, and Bennett became interested while shadowing Rep. Peggy Mast a few years ago.
“Ever since, politics has been one of my major interests,” she said. “Also, after high school, I’m planning on double-majoring with political science and journalism, so any chance I get to work with a representative (or) senator, I don’t pass up.”