Commissioner in the Classroom!

I recently was invited to speak to a classroom full of 5 and 6 year olds about all the fun things I do in my job as a County Commissioner!

Sometimes being a County Commissioner has its rewarding opportunities...one of which came my way recently.  And no--I'm not talking about the redistricting meeting last Tuesday....😏

I'm talking about a trip to an elementary school classroom to discuss what I do as a career and all the fun I have doing it.  

And I recently had the pleasure of being invited to career week at Oakcrest Elementary School to do this.  But because of COVID-19, I had to appear virtually, via Google Meetings.

I was asked to consider a series of questions put to me by the students in Mrs. Summers Kindergarten class---and I was also asked some questions by the students during the meeting.

It's interesting to see the way the questions come from the minds of young students, and what it is they think is truly important.

The students wanted to know one thing in particular:  Roads, where do they go and who decides?  They thought the roads issues we discussed were really cool.  I thought this was really interesting.  And putting the answers into  responses that make sense to kindergarteners was a fun diversion from normal interview responses I give.

Some takeaways from what the students wanted to know (who were remarkably well behaved, I must add)

1.  How can students help make our community better?  My answer:  Stay in school, follow your parents' and teachers' directions and rules, and be good to your fellow students.

2.  What do you do as a commissioner?  My answer:  We fund the sheriff, the fire department, we approve houses to be built, we manage parks and playgrounds, and we build and repair roads and ditches.

3.  Do you have children?  Yes--I have three--and they are all three graduated from Escambia County.

4.  What is the most important thing students should do to be successful?  My answer:  Understand your assignments and work, study and be prepared, and be decisive.  You will make mistakes, but it is better to make minor mistakes and be decisive than it is to never make decisions and not make progress going forward.

Thanks to Oakcrest Elementary, Mrs. Summers, and the students in her class for the opportunity to participate in Career Week---I think I enjoyed it more than the students!