Imagine sitting in a courtroom, watching your classmates participate in a jury trying to decipher between right and wrong.  You’re walking through a jail, viewing the housing areas and seeing what inmates’ daily lives consist of.  Afterwards, you get to learn from local government officials about our county knowing that it is a possible career for you in the future.

The spring semester’s American Government class experienced this at County Government Day in early April.  The students participated in a mock trial, walked through the jail, and learned from several government workers about their roles and responsibilities in Lincoln County. “I loved how it was a learning experience for students, but in a professional atmosphere designed to be as realistic as possible,” said senior Breanna Patterson.

County Government Day’s main goal is to introduce students to a possible career path in government and to give them an understanding on how local government works. “I feel as though not many people are very knowledgeable on it, and it really gives us an inside look on how we contribute as citizens,” said senior Michael Miller.  Up close, Miller thought it was different than what he’d been taught.  “It was more interesting watching it happen versus just learning it in a classroom,” said Miller.

Patterson said, “I think that it gives students a scope of what exactly happens in our county.  We hear a lot about the federal government in the news, so sometimes you forget that our government has different levels, and we have a level right here in North Platte.”