The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Jonathan M. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Shadow a Local Leader
I had a hard time deciding whom I wanted to shadow. There were several people in Lansing that I knew or had connections with that would be great people, but I just could not make up my mind. It just so happened that I was at a local Tea Party (at which I was participating in a Student Statesmanship Institute promotion) and saw our state senator, Alan Sanborn. I went up and asked him if I could job shadow him for a day. He answered with an immediate, “Yes!”
Our family arrived in Lansing around 8:30 A.M. on May 4th for "Homeschool Day at the Capitol." Senator Sanborn's staff graciously scheduled shadowing him on the same day! I was able to attend the first session before my appointment with Senator Sanborn. I was quite surprised when I found out where his office is located. In the visitor's gallery above the Senate chamber, there are two doors that say, “No visitors beyond this point.” Through these doors and practically the whole width of the Senate chamber is Senator Sanborn's office.
I talked to his Constituent Aide Amy Maxwell for a few minutes, and discovered that she had also been to SSI and had done Ambassador League the first year that it had been offered. Right before the Senate session was supposed to begin the Senator came in and greeted me, explaining that he had to go to a caucus meeting just then, and would be unavailable for a couple of hours. Amy then showed me around the office and introduced me to the other members of the Senator's staff, who graciously explained the tasks and roles for which they were responsible.
When the senators finished their caucus meetings, I went into the gallery and observed what occurred. Senator Sanborn was kind enough to introduce me from the floor, which was enjoyable. There was not much activity on the floor, because the senators were having much discussion in committee meetings concerning a bill that dealt with public school teachers and retirement packages.
After the legislative session was over, Senator Sanborn came back to his office. We spent a couple of minutes talking about my background and aspirations, and then went down to the front lawn of the Capitol for a free lunch! It was very interesting to be mingling with the lawmakers and their staff in such an up close and personal way.
After lunch, the Senator had a couple of meetings, so I went and observed an Appropriations Committee Meeting in the Boji Tower. When I returned, I was able to interview Senator Sanborn about his background and political career. He said that his inspiration to go into politics came from his father, who was a State Representative and circuit court judge.
It was a wonderful experience shadowing Senator Sanborn and I am very grateful to him for allowing me to do so. It is a rare thing today to see a politician standing for the core beliefs and Christian values that so much of America still holds. I was excited to see this other angle of politics from the inside, and came away very motivated and inspired.
