At the invitation of Donnelsville Elementary teacher Mrs. Liz Myers, New Carlisle’s City Manager Randy Bridge and Mayor Mike Lowrey spoke to third graders about the role of local government.

Using vocabulary students had learned in their study of national, state, and local government, they asked questions of city officials pertaining to elections, appointments, and the types of services provided to citizens.

Bridge and Lowrey answered students’ questions, discussed the many departments that provide city services, then led each class in a mock council meeting. Citing a proposal which would afford students an extra fifteen minutes of recess a day while extending the school day ten minutes, students, acting as citizens, discussed the pros and cons of the proposal before six students (council members) and the mayor cast their votes on the ordinance.

“The students were connecting content learned in class to the discussion with the guest speakers,” said teacher Mrs. Myers. “They realized how a decision is ultimately made in a council meeting. Students came into school that morning so excited that the mayor was coming!”