By Paige Gurgainers

Government lessons came to life for second grade students at Central Elementary on Tuesday, March 24, on a local and national level, as guests visited the campus to share what it means to serve.

As part of their current unit on government, elected officials and the Constitution, students welcomed a panel of representatives spanning multiple levels of leadership. The visit gave students a unique, age-appropriate look at how government works – from their own community all the way to Washington.

Guests included Kathy Babers, community liaison with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s team, along with the mayors of Dubberly,Curtis Hirth, and Minden Mayor, Nick Cox. Central Elementary Principal Daniel Lee also joined the panel, helping connect the lessons of leadership to students’ everyday school experience.

Panelists spoke to students about their roles, responsibilities and how they were elected to serve. Each speaker broke down their position in a way that was easy for young learners to understand; explaining everything from making decisions for a town to representing communities on a larger scale.

Students then had the opportunity to ask questions, ranging from how leaders make laws to what inspired them to run for office. The Q&A session allowed students to engage directly with the panel and deepen their understanding of how the government impacts their daily lives.

Teachers say experiences like this help make classroom lessons more meaningful and memorable. By connecting real-world leaders with foundational civics education, Central Elementary is helping students not only learn about government, but see themselves as future participants in it.

The program ended with a special performance by the second grade classes, who sang “We the People,” a song that highlights the foundational principles of the Constitution. The performance set the tone for a day centered on civic understanding and pride.