The Stats:

Host Facility:
Spring Arbor University

Onsite Coordinator:
Jim Dolson & Linda Tippin (JCS), Patti Sailor (Pioneer Co-op)

Underwriters
Spring Arbor University
Gerry Gerweck, Gerweck and Company

Students attending: 44 total, 9-12th grade: (32 JCA students; 12 Homeschool students)

VIPs:

Jim Dolson - Jackson Christian School

David Elwell - County Commissioner

Steve Rand - Jackson County Sheriffs Dept.

Richard LaFlamme - LaFlamme & Mauldin, P.C.

Thomas Wilson - Judge, 4th Circuit Court

Randy Comfort - Spring Arbor University

Peter Langley - Jackson County Prosecutor’s office

Edwin Utz - Bennett Community Church/Pioneer Co-op

Brad Foster - Village Hope Church

Brandon Reynolds - Grace Church

Sharon Houck - Jackson County RTL

Matthew Osborne - Spring Arbor University

Kelly Barson - PIONEERS Co-op

Ray Snell - Exit Realty 1st

Guest Speaker:

Tim Walberg - US Congressman

Jackson Christian School Onsite

March 14 & 15, 2011

OnSite Report


We were back at Spring Arbor University last week for our third annual Onsite Program with 44 students from Jackson Christian School and Pioneers Co-op. Once again SAU allowed us the use of the beautiful Poling Business Center which is a perfect setting for the teaching sessions, Caucus Meetings and Committee Hearings.

To kick things off, we were privileged to have Congressman Tim Walberg address the students about the importance of their role as citizens. Within a short period of time after the Oath of Office was administered, the newly appointed “Legislators” were hard at work analyzing the bills they were assigned to support and oppose.

Our VIP’s for the Committee Hearings on day two included Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wilson and County Commissioner David Elwell. The debate was spirited and the competition was heating up in preparation for the final battle that evening on the House Floor.

The House convened at 6:00 PM on March 15 at the Jackson Christian School gym, with the gallery looking on and a reporter from the local newspaper in attendance. Once again, the level of debate was spirited and some of the votes were very close. It is always thrilling to see students perform at such a high level with such short preparation time. Observers always comment on the excellence of the presentations and tell us that just watching these young people gives them hope for the future!

Read about the SSI Program in this great Jackson Citizen Patriot article.

Many thanks to Jim Dolson, Tim Barsuhn and Linda Tippin from Jackson Christian, and Patti Sailor from Pioneers Co-op, who all helped make this another successful event.