We hope so, because school visits are a great grassroots way to stay connected to the community. Visiting with young people about what you do reminds you exactly why you do it. And, it helps students learning about government to see it in action.
Maybe you’re wondering how it all works. Here are three tips to help you understand the basics of school visits:
Tip #1 Visit the grade you’re comfortable interacting with For those who want to help the fourth graders in their area contend for the Mayor’s Essay contest, it’s been proven that a school visit is helpful. But MML supports all school visits including high school and colleges. Educating youth and young adults about the benefits of municipal government is a win for all. Bonus, any school visit counts for Banner City/Town purposes.
Tip #2 Be Flexible Officials can conduct school visits any time of year. The more flexible your schedule, the easier it will be to get into the classroom. Also, some school districts require background checks. Understand what’s involved with your particular district and time the visit accordingly. As long as school visits are conducted within the current Banner City year, they’ll count on your BCT application.
Tip #3 Bring the “school” to you Smaller communities may not have a public school in their town. Work with other nearby officials to see if you could team up on a school visit. Or, visit a private school. If those don’t work for you, invite a home-schooling co-op or a group of students to visit the town hall for a talk and tour!