This content was published: May 1, 2009. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.

Taking PCC student leaders to the Capitol

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Wow.

That’s all I’ve got to say: Wow.

I took about 12, 15 members of PCC student leadership to Salem on Thursday to meet with lawmakers. And by all reasonable measures, it was a total success.

The students met with 12 members of the House and six members of the Senate; or, in some cases, with their legislative aides. They also were “recognized” and had “courtesies extended” to them by Sen. Richard Devlin in the Senate and Rep. Michael Dembrow in the House. In short: the two lawmakers gave them a shout-out, as the students sat in the third-floor gallery and watched the floor session.

I didn’t coach the students. I didn’t write their talking points, Heck, I didn’t even attend the meetings with them. (And no, it hasn’t escaped my notice that events go off really well, the less I do.)

The students told their stories, using their words. And they reported back that the meetings went extremely well.

We were not in the Capitol to whine about the recession. Or to beg for money. We were in the Capitol because these students have some amazing stories to tell.

They rocked.

dana

About Dana Haynes

Dana Haynes, joined PCC in 2007 as the manager of the Office of Public Affairs, directing the college's media and government relations. Haynes spent the previous 20 years as a reporter, columnist and editor for Oregon newspapers, including ... more »