The Truth Staff
High school students in the Upward Bound Program at Lourdes University spent Wednesday afternoon, June 18, in the Lucas County Commissioners’ Conference Room at One Government Center listening to a number of local government officials describe their roles in making the various departments of government function.
Upward Bound at Lourdes University is funded by the United States Department of Education and serves students who attend Waite and Woodward high schools in the Toledo Public Schools District.
Upward Bound’s mission is to help students from low-income households and from households whose parents or guardians have not earned undergraduate college degrees.
Last week’s first ever Upward Bound student visit to local government offices was organized by Tonya Colbert, director of Upward Bound, and brought together about 30 students and instructors for the afternoon’s insight into how government operates and the possibilities of career choices.
Wednesday’s government speakers were: Lucas County Recorder Mike Ashford, Lucas County Sheriff Mike Navarre, State Rep. Michele Grim (by video), Lucas County Clerk Bernie Quilter, Toledo City Councilwoman Cerssandra McPherson, State Rep. Erika White (by video), Lucas County Commissioner Anita Lopez, Lucas County Auditor Katie Moline, Toledo Board of Education Member Chris Varwig.
During the hour and a half session, the government representatives spent about five to six minutes describing their departments and the roles such departments play in the lives of the citizens they serve.
“It’s the Auditor’s job to make sure that we account for every dollar and how it is spent,” said Moline, for example, of the LC Auditor’s function.
The speakers then opened up for questions from the students which were generally plentiful.
“This event is important to educate and enlighten our students about civic education, their rights, responsibilities and obligations, as well as the workings of government and society,” said Colbert. “This further aims to equip them with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to become informed and engaged citizens.”
Commissioner Lopez served as the facilitator for the event and her closing remarks about her family’s financial hardships during her youth and her determination to overcome those hardships to make it to college, to law school, to law practice and into government service will undoubtedly prove to be an encouragement to many of the Upward Bound students.
It’s not often that students receive information on how the government works, noted Lucas County Recorder Ashford.
“They don’t teach civics classes anymore,” Ashford said. “So this is an opportunity for young folks to get to know what their local government does.”