4-H Students From Every County Hold Mock Legislature at Capitol

Contact: Whitney Wilkinson, 435-797-8286, whitney.wilkinson@usu.edu
Writer: Jacob Roskelley, 435-797-0810, jacobr@ext.usu.edu

LOGAN —Youths representing counties from across the state will

participate in hands-on learning at the 18th annual 4-H Mock

Legislature. The event will involve approximately 85 high school-aged

youths and will be held at the Utah State Capitol in the house

chambers Tuesday, April 24.


The event is sponsored by Utah State University Cooperative

Extension and hosted by Rep. Paul Ray of Davis County and the

Office of Legislative Research and General Council.


Maureen Wilson, a legislative data management specialist in the

Office of Legislative Research and General Council, has worked with

Mock Legislature for 12 years. The event is the only one of its kind,

allowing students to sit at the legislator’s desks and debate on the

house floor, she said.


“The kids are fantastic and we always look forward to them coming,”

Wilson said. “They usually begin the day quiet and unsure and then

end the day with all the self-confidence they can build. It’s great to

see them go from one extreme to the other.”


Starting at 10 a.m., guest speakers and Utah legislative personnel

will teach the legislative process and describe how a bill becomes a

law. Then, 4-H participants serve as legislators representing their

respective counties in committee meetings and discussing 15 bills

involving teen issues that were brought before the legislature this

year. The bills deal with issues ranging from cell phone restrictions

for teen drivers to high school graduation requirements. Bills are

discussed in one of three committees named after three of the four

H’s in 4-H: head, heart and hands. Each bill is sponsored and

introduced by one of the participants.


“I had the opportunity to introduce a bill at Mock Legislature last

year,” said Jackie Russell, a former 4-H state ambassador. “It’s a

great learning experience that provides a unique insight into what

goes on in the Capitol building. You get to be involved in things you

wouldn’t normally be able to experience or fully understand.”


After lunch, there will be approximately two hours of debate on the

house floor by the mock legislators, passing or defeating the bills

presented. 4-H state ambassadors, who help coordinate the event,

will serve as speakers of the house and committee chairs.


“I wish this was available when I was younger,” said John Paul

Murphy, USU Extension 4-H youth development specialist and

coordinator of the event. “If I had this kind of hands-on exposure to

the legislative process as a youth, I would probably be a lot more

involved with it today.”


Utah 4-H has programs in every county serving urban and rural Utah

with programs in robotics, leadership, GPS, legislature and more.

4-H is an action-oriented educational program for youth and volunteer

leaders sponsored by USU Cooperative Extension Service. 4-H has

more than eight million members nationally, with 98,269 youths

participating in Utah in 2006.The program is designed to assist youth

in acquiring knowledge, building character and developing life skills

in a learning environment that enables them to become self-directing,

productive members of society. For more information, visit

www.Utah4H.org.

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View the press release as it appeared in Utah State Today.

ASUSU Graduate Studies Vice President Receives Library Honor

Contacts: Linda Wolcott, 435-797-2687, linda.wolcott@usu.edu
Maure Smith, 435-797-1736, msmith@english.usu.edu
Writer: Jacob Roskelley, 435-797-1719, asusupr@cc.usu.edu

LOGAN — In honor of her outstanding service and dedication to

students, Maure Lyn Smith, graduate studies vice president and

president of the Graduate Student Senate, received the 2007 Library

Recognition Award on April 18.


“It didn’t take long to decide on the recipient this year,” said Linda

Wolcott, vice provost for libraries and instructional support. “Maure

has been a strong advocate for the library and has been instrumental

in getting the library’s message out to the community.”


Smith has served on the Library Advisory Council for two years and

has represented the views of graduate students. Smith serves as the

Graduate Studies Vice President for the Associated Students of Utah

State University while teaching English to students at the University.


“Maure is brilliant at the student fee board meetings, successfully

lobbying to gain student financial support by clearly articulating the

importance of libraries to her fellow officers,” Wolcott said.


Smith’s passionate expression of the important role of the library in

the education of students has helped improve awareness and

appreciation of the library, Wolcott said. Smith has teamed with

librarians to ensure English 1010 and 2010 students understand the

critical role the library plays in student research.


Several other events took place during the commemoration. J.

Robert Malko was presented the Faculty Library Award, a

presentation of the “first rare book purchased” was made and

the 100 year anniversary of participation in the Federal Depository

Library Program was celebrated.

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