Mahogoney Langston, a senior at Frederick Douglass High School, discovered she might be interested in a future in politics after spending the day with more than 225 other Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students in the Georgia State University Pathways to Power program.
Student Government Association members and students in U.S. government courses from several APS high schools visited Georgia State University (GSU) to participate in an immersive learning experience and tour the campus.
“It was a great experience,” Langston said. “It was very collaborative and civically engaged not just for our school, but for everybody that was here. The overall program made me question what I want to do in life. I feel like I might be called to the Congress or the Senate.”
The students heard from GSU leaders, professors, and Senator Matt Brass about the importance of being involved in government and advocating for themselves and their communities.
Georgia State’s SGA president, James Wilson, led the students in a legislation simulation where students had to discuss, debate, and present their positions to try and pass a bill. Senator Brass, who also serves as the Senate Rules Committee Chair in the Georgia Senate, gave the students a taste of what the process feels like when bringing a bill to the Senate floor.
“They were challenging each other, our volunteers, everybody, and they’re debating. That’s exactly what we wanted,” Wilson said. “These students are not going to just sit by and watch things happen. They’re going to make moves. They’re going to do whatever they can to be involved, not only in their schools, but also in their communities at-large.”
APS worked with Georgia State University to bring students from B.E.S.T. Academy, Douglass High School, Mays High School, Jackson High School, South Atlanta High School, Carver Early College, Therrell High School, and Washington High School to participate in the Pathways to Power program.
Each school broke off into teams to discuss and prepare for the legislative simulation. They debated amongst each other over what needed to be addressed or amended to support their arguments. Langston said it was a challenging exercise, but a great opportunity to work on collaborating with a large, diverse group.
“It’s important to get students out of the school building in order to really experience real life. I’m sure they’re learning about how to pass a bill in one of their courses, but to really see it in action, participate in it, have a position and really debate it is impactful,” APS Program Director of Student Engagement Dr. Kyra Caldwell Templeton said. “The program exposes students to the importance of being involved in politics at the local and state level. They experienced what it means to be stewards for their community, and really understand the power that they have as young people.”
