Wilson High students talk to congressman on C-SPAN

FLORENCE — Students from Wilson High School were able to participate in a live discussion about Congress’ response to President Barack Obama’s recent presidential speech during C-SPAN’s Washington Journal Wednesday.

Twelve students were given the opportunity to ask questions of Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., and other guests via Skype technology while aboard C-SPAN’s Civic Bus, which traveled to Florence as part of C-SPAN’S “100 Days, 100 Schools” tour.

During the program, students asked questions concerning education, the stimulus package and foreign policies. Students also were given a 20-minute, interactive demonstration about C-SPAN’s programming, media literacy skills and the 2008 presidential cycle. The entire program was free to students.

Serena-Kaye Kinley Cooper, a junior at Wilson, said she was excited about the opportunity to be on C-SPAN, a channel she often watches to learn more about politics.

“It’s an experience I will never forget,” Cooper said. “It was nerve-racking.

“It’s an experience that many students don’t have in high school,” she said. “We get to talk about politics and how it’s going to affect us and generations to come.”

Cooper, who said she and her classmates often discuss political issues, said Obama’s speech gave people hope and that the economic challenges will not be fixed over night.

She said she also learned about the need to reform energy, health care and education.

“We have to change the way these systems work so that our economy can get better,” Cooper said.

Yvonne Rhodes, a U.S. History, Government and Economics teacher, said the bus tour was a great way for students to interact with legislators and have their voices heard.

“I think that (the students) will learn that those (legislators) are representatives for us in Washington, (D.C.) and that they don’t just listen to voters.” Rhodes said. “They listen to voters’ children. They have a voice. It was my honor to let them shine on national (television).“

Rhodes said all of the students prepared their own questions for the discussion.

Other students to participate were Hannah Riggs, Savanna Witherspoon, Laura Ketcham, Timothy Jiang, Samira Gillcrese, Constance Gabriel, Helena Wang, Varoon Patel, China Thomas, Nandita Rawalpally and Katelyn Ruggieros.

The Civics Bus also traveled to West Florence High School, before heading back to Wilson for a teacher workshop.

The bus is a 45-foot mobile, multi-media demonstration center and television production unit that brings the world of public affairs to communities nationwide, according to a press release. It’s designed to engage and inform students about the new presidential administration.

Rebecca Stewart, a community representative for C-SPAN, said the bus is a way for students to learn how they have access to government using C-SPAN and its resources.

“For us, it’s not about winning viewership. We’re not concerned about ratings or anything like that,” Stewart said. “We do think it’s important that students learn how to inform themselves about their government and that they really do hold the power to make important decisions when it comes to what’s going on in their community and the nation.”

On the Web
Wilson High School: www.fsd1.org/wilson
West Florence High School: www.fsd1.org/westflorence
For more information on the C-SPAN Civics Bus, visit www.c-span.org/schoolbus