“The last several months I’ve had the opportunity to work with a group of incredibly bright, young minds and future leaders in Cumberland County,” said Cumberland County Judge-Executive Luke King before introducing students to speak. “I hope that you all will see that even though this is a civics club and a county government internship program, this is so much bigger than that.”
The Cumberland County group shared an overview of their new program for the first time at Cumberland Workforce Development Board’s August meeting.
King expressed his belief that exposing young people to the interactions of government and civic organizations will give them an invaluable insight into local administration and awareness of regional issues like workforce needs and development. The program also prepares participants for life after school, with real-world job expectations and experience. Internship with county government meant a six month commitment, where participants show up just as any other Cumberland County team member and employee would. Similarly, they’ve all had to go through a performance evaluation.
How Did it Start?
According to the students, Cumberland County government officials began coming to the school on career and college days, and they started going to classrooms to get interested youth involved with government and civics. After several students expressed great interest and government, they drafted a petition to form the Civics Club. The students presented this presentation to their principal, and then their site-based decision council. Later, they went on to the school board where it was approved.
“The meetings were originally once a month for an hour on a club day at school,” said Sadie Arterburn, ‘Judge-Executive’ of the Civics Club. “But we quickly realized this was not enough. So we started meeting every other week at the courthouse. We wanted our club to be just like the real-life fiscal court. We elected our very own judge executive, we also elected four magistrates. We started debating ordinances. We signed resolutions and proclamations, just like the fiscal court.” Then, they began inviting local government officials to their meetings and discussed the issues of concern in the county.
As for the internship aspect of the program, students have turned out to be a big help to officials. “We have helped the administrative team with day-to-day tasks, which can be things like getting the newspaper or mail, or assisting them with phone calls when they have more pressing tasks at hand,” said Evan Stotts. “We have also helped coordinate many different community events.”
Public meetings the students have attended include the Chamber of Commerce, County Tourism, Industrial Development Authority, Library Board, as well as Fiscal Court, City Council, and more.
What The Vision?
The group would like to see their Civics Club adopted by other county schools in the region. Audience members, which included Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet Jamie Link, members of the General Assembly, county judge/executives, executive directors, board members, business owners, program directors, and community members expressed excitement for the idea, with many requests for more information about starting the program in their locations.
Judge King said he would be happy to share a copy of the clubs original petition to schools or civic leaders who wish to explore the possibility of beginning a program in their county. He also said they could share today’s presentation to fiscal court meetings in interested counties.
Students from the Cumberland County Civics Club stood for a picture with Secretary Link before the August Cumberland Workforce Development Board meeting. From left: Sadie Arterburn, Taylor Craig, Tyler Thacker, Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet Jamie Link, Aidan Capps, Evan Stotts, and Cumberland County Judge-Executive Luke King
