Valley students participate in student government conference

Sixty Valley high school students from Colony, Palmer, Susitna Valley and Wasilla attended the state student government conference at Service High in Anchorage Oct. 23-25.

The Alaska Association of Student Governments is an organization that provides leadership training and opportunities for high school students.

Student leaders and their advisors from around the state met for the 30th anniversary of the first-ever AASG conference.

For this momentous anniversary, Service chose the theme of "Learning from the Past, Looking toward the Future."

The Thursday night opening addresses were given by Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, who got his start in student government at Stellar High, and Former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles.

At region meetings delegates discussed resolutions proposed by individual schools.

Topics for resolutions spanned the federal "No Child Left Behind Act" to healthy school lunches.

The large general meetings were where those resolutions were presented, discussed, amended and voted on using parliamentary procedure.

New officers were elected to serve the state AASG board for the coming year and preside over spring conference in Yakutat.

There was free time for games, scavenger hunts, workshops and a dance on Friday night.

Workshops included drama, debate, forensics, Alaska Youth for Environmental Action and Accel One Step Higher-One Step Faster.

U.S Sen. Lisa Murkowski gave the keynote address to the collection of students on Saturday.

She urged interested juniors to get involved with the Congressional Page Program and recently graduated seniors to apply for the Senate Intern Program through her office.

She stated, "There is no greater investment we can make as a state than in educating our people."

Students said there were many valuable lessons learned at the conference.

"The high point of the experience for me was speaking in front of over 500 delegates, presenting my resolution, and having it pass," said Willow Grosz, a Susitna Valley senior.

A Su Valley senior, TJ Majeske, was voted best dancer at the conference.

Fun and games shared time with educational opportunities at the conference, which every student agreed was important.

"AASG was really fun and educational," Majeske said.