Mock City Council Meeting Set for Students
Sow + Grow Together, in collaboration with PCC, is hosting a mock City Council meeting for students on Tuesday, April 22 at 5:00 pm. All local students (grades 6-12) are welcome to come and participate regardless of school district or type of education.
We sat down with Cari Talarico for all of the details!
Pkb Independent: WHO IS Sow & Grow Together ??
SGT: We at SGT are a small group of families who are comprised of business owners, entrepreneurs, educators, and much more. We believe in cultivating educational opportunities to learn new skills or experience new things. We love to learn, teach what we learn, and grow in knowledge together.
PKB Independent : What inspired you to create this event with Sow & Grow Together and the City Council?
SGT: Oof this is a long answer. You really have to know the heart of the families behind Sow & Grow Together (SGT) to understand this. First, we are a little crazy and love adding more crazy ideas to our plate. We love learning, problem solving, and what we learn, we love to teach and share with others. Many of us also homeschool, and love having our children learn alongside us.
How this ties with the city council is a story. An event caught our attention which drew 2 of the families to a council meeting. As we watched the council, we realized that we should be more involved in our community and know what is going on. However, we quickly learned that we didn’t know or understand much of how it ran.So we started learning. We called and met with Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl. She sat with us for over 3 hours answering questions, not counting all of the phone calls.
As we learned and we watched, we noticed a disconnect between the average community member and the council. Many would come into meetings for Hot topic reasons and seemed to be as lost as we had been on how things were run. Unfortunately, this is where conversation for growth and needs can get lost. If someone only knows what they have heard and don’t understand why it is the way it is. That can get frustrating on the public side. Then if someone comes in and says the wrong thing or the wrong way they can come off to council as disrespectful, or just appearing to not know what they are talking about, and not taken seriously. This is a communication barrier.
All of this led to me going and speaking at the public forum on the importance of education and transparency. The importance of cultivating and educating others and the next generations.Building the bridge to connect what was lost, so that others will understand how the city is run.
Told you it was a long answer!
PKB Independent : Who is the target audience for this event, and why do you feel it’s important for them to engage in local government?
SGT: The target age is Middle and High School.So 6th-12th grade. We feel it's important for them to know that their voices matter, and how to use it productively. What they think matters . I want them to know that if they want to they could be a council member, or if they just wanted to be an active citizen. That is okay and they can do that too.
PKB Independent :How did the collaboration with Parkersburg City Council come about?
SGT: After the meeting was over that I spoke at, Councilwoman Dr. Dailey approached me to ask me some questions, and I let her know that I wasn’t just up there speaking but we had some ideas to help. I told her about the idea to do an educational event to help people understand how our city government worked and including the schools.Dr.Dailey and Mrs.Kuhl mentioned it to other council members. This led to little talks before and after council meetings and then a team formed.
The Team in the meetings consisted of PCC: Sharon Kuhl, Dr. Cathy Dailey, Zak Huffman, Chris Rexroad, and Andrew Borkowski. From SGT: Cari Talarico, Chris Smith, and Audriana Smith. (We had others helping not at the meetings as well) Within one meeting, Young Voices was formed!! A hands on government experience for students. Hands-on experience is an SGT thing for sure! In the past it has turned a simple book into a transformed room bringing the book to life to make an imprint on our kids for the love of reading! We know how much more learning comes to life when they are a part of it instead of just watching or reading. So the councilmen broke down how everything runs in the meetings and why it is that way, and then the kids get to come in and have their own mock meeting. They are the ones calling the shots.They get to do the votes, or speak about why they should or should not vote a certain way. It's all for them.
PKB Independent :Can you walk us through what students will experience during the day?
SGT: Sure! When the students (Public, Private, or Homeschooled) get there we will have a welcome for them and then we will get a tour to see what happens and where. They will get to meet the Mayor and council members, learn how things work, and then we will start the mock meeting. This is where they can either be an audience member, a speaker, or a council member. After the meeting we will have a Q&A about what all they saw or did during the meeting. Last, we will follow it up with the one extra thing that makes learning so much more fun…snacks.
Important Side note: There will be a certified ASL Interpreter there to make sure all students are welcomed!
PKB Independent :What do you hope students take away from touring council chambers and participating in the mock meeting?
SGT: I hope they walk away with an understanding of how it runs, but most importantly a belief in themselves that they have something important to bring to the table. Their ideas may be what's needed in a future problem. Their voice may be the voice of reason in a crisis. They may be a council member or an engaged citizen. The point is that they matter to us, our community, and our future- so I want them to believe that themselves.
PKB Independent :When and where is the event?
SGT: Tuesday April 22nd 5-7pm in Council Chambers at
1 Government Square, Parkersburg,WV 26101
PKB Independent :How do you register?
SGT: you can email us at sow.grow.together@gmail.com
