Quest Middle School students visited the Rhode Island State House on Tuesday, April 8th, as part of their civics and government studies. The trip offered an engaging, real-world look at how government works and included a guided tour, a mock session debate on the House floor, and the chance to meet with State Representatives Carol Hagan McEntee and Teresa Tanzi.
In preparation for the debate on the House floor, the students were given three bills currently before the House. Working in small groups, they researched the bills and the pros and cons for each. They developed speeches to present during the mock session, both in favor of and in opposition to the following bills:
Bill 5726: Related to free expression and access to information by limiting censorship of library materials.
Bill 5742: Aimed to provide all public school students with free breakfast and lunch, regardless of income.
Bill 5424: Proposed requiring large fossil fuel companies to fund environmental cleanup for damage caused by carbon emissions in Rhode Island over the past 30 years.
After each bill was debated, the middle schoolers used the real system to vote yay or nay on each bill. All three were passed.
The visit gave students a chance to step into the role of lawmakers, practice public speaking, and engage in meaningful discussion about real-world issues. It was a powerful, hands-on learning experience that deepened their understanding of the legislative process.
