Students attend state 4-H Great Debate

Submitted by Lisa Newell

Four high school members of the Busy Beavers 4-H Club out of Grayslake attended the 4-H Great Debate recently at the Capitol building in Springfield.

The 4-H Great Debate is a two-day conference held in the chambers of the Illinois House of Representatives. Ninety teens sign up for a mock bill, which they research prior to the conference. Once at the conference, each participant works in a group to make final preparations for the debate of their bill and may also run for the office of speaker of the House or clerk of the House.

Participants learn about the legislative process and how Illinois government works while debating in the House Chambers. During this mock legislative session teens usually sit in the seat of their own Illinois representative, use his or her microphone and voting buttons and see themselves on the large video screen. Participants also meet and get to know youth from across the state through the games and music the evening before the debates.

The Busy Beavers 4-H Club members attending the debate were Daniel Shalit of Grayslake, Jamie DiTomasso of Mundelein, Avni Patel from Hawthorn Woods and Sarah Newell of Libertyville.

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