(Eureka)—Two hundred forty students and teachers from seven Humboldt County schools participated in a series of question and answer Zoom meetings; most recently with Assemblyman Jim Wood on October 27th. The series of Zoom meetings, conducted by the Humboldt County Office of Education’s “Education At Work” initiative was appropriately titled, “All About Civics”. In previous meetings, students and teachers convened with Humboldt County Registrar of Voters, Kelly Sanders; Congressman Jared Huffman and Senator Mike McGuire during the series that was held in October.
“The question and answer forum was terrific! Senator McGuire was quite an inspiration to my students who attended. Also, my students were impressed with the high school students’ questions, which was an added benefit I hadn’t thought of,” according to Sheree Shapiro, 7th and 8th grade Redwood Coast Montessori instructor. “My students have an idea now that high school students care about their government and have insightful thoughts about current issues! It’s a triple win!!”
Congressman Jared Huffman said, “I make it a point to visit schools throughout my Congressional district every year, and I always enjoy hearing from students. This year, high school students in Humboldt County asked thought-provoking and critical questions about the state of the pandemic, policies like gun violence prevention and wildland management. While this year has presented new virtual challenges, we were able to have an incredibly thoughtful dialogue thanks to an engaged group of students,” Huffman added.
The Humboldt County Office of Education promotes student initiatives to further advance educational and vocational opportunities. It often sponsors community outreach and participatory events through its “Education At Work” initiatives. More information can be found at hcoe.org/education-at-work.