MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — Six students at Manitowoc Lincoln High School didn't just study civics this year; they practiced it.
The students, part of the YMCA Youth and Government program, spent months researching and writing their own mock legislation before heading to Madison for a three-day conference where they debated bills at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Of the 17 bills passed this year, 6 came from Manitowoc's delegation.
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The YMCA Youth and Government program challenges students to draft original legislation, culminating in the Capitol conference, where participants debate their bills before their peers.
Silas Verce, a Manitowoc Lincoln senior, wrote a bill to protect Wisconsin residents from corporations collecting biometric data without consent.
"The bill is really to protect Wisconsin residents from predatory corporations, basically from stealing your biometric data," Verce said.
Fellow senior Ben Abler tackled child welfare, crafting legislation focused on homeschooled children.
"It's to prevent homeschool kids from getting abused… I just made a bill where it required them to see a doctor or a social worker," Abler said.
Junior Jezebel Grossman was motivated by the widespread dangers of fentanyl contamination.
"What really drove me to write this bill is it's not just drug addicts that can be affected by fentanyl; it could be a kid picking up a dollar on the street," Grossman said.
Senior Joshua Sauer drew on personal experience working with those facing food insecurity to draft a bill that incentivizes large grocery retailers to donate edible food to food recovery organizations.
"I've done things from unloading trucks and pallets, stocking shelves, and taking inventory but by far the hardest things I have had to do was look someone in the eyes and tell them we do not have the resources they need to survive," Sauer said.
Senior Owen Erlandson wrote a bill incentivizing farmers to reduce agricultural runoff and said the experience gave him a new sense of confidence.
"I walked up there, and I gained so much confidence from talking, and it was such a fun time being able to debate ideas that I can't usually talk about," Erlandson said.
Barbara Schmidt, who has advised the Manitowoc Lincoln Youth and Government group for 11 years, said this year's results were extraordinary.
"It's amazing. It's not normal to have 6 from one delegation to actually do what we did, so it's a big thing," Schmidt said.
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