Third-graders from both Plavan and Cox Elementary schools participated in the annual Youth in Government Day at Fountain Valley City Hall on June 4th. More than 165 students had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Community Development, Finance, Fire, Police, Public Works, and other departments.
“This is the perfect way for students to see the different departments of our local government in real life,” said Christine Carrasco, a third-grade teacher at Cox. “Students love learning about how the sewers are maintained and how SWAT and the fire department do their jobs.”
Behind the scenes, students engaged in numerous activities, such as visiting the city’s traffic control center to observe how technicians monitor key intersections and keep traffic flowing smoothly. They also tried on SWAT vests, climbed aboard public service vehicles including fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars, and they learned what it takes to run FV’s finances.
“The government is amazing and interesting when you get to see how it operates,” student Kai Chen stated.
According to the city website, the program is supposed to reinforce what students learn about the civic government in the classroom while also exposing students to what city officials do on a day-to-day basis to inspire the next generation of public servants.
“The City Hall field trip was a really exciting field trip that was important for me to learn about,” said student Thomas Harvest. “I got to see all the city works like the police station, the fire department, the water works, the waste management department, and the city council and council chambers. I also got to sit in the lawyer’s chair!”
It was an educational day for all.