Published: November 06, 2009 03:19 pm      

Senator visits Cascade High School

CLAYTON — Students at Cascade High School had an opportunity to hear about the economy and the relationship between business and politics from a source that lives it every day.

Sen. Connie Lawson attended a student assembly in the school auditorium hosted by the school’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club Wednesday morning.

“First of all, it was an honor to be asked to come here today,” Lawson said. “It’s great to see (the students) involved and it’s great to see that they are being taught business and economics.”

Lawson, who said she’s only invited to do a handful of appearances at schools each year, thought the meeting at Cascade went well.

“I was really pleased,” she said. “I thought that they really paid attention.”

The process leading up to the assembly began with a simple message.

“The FBLA Club sent me an e-mail and asked if I would be interested in coming,” Lawson said. “I said ‘sure, I would be happy to.’”

Justin Spears, a business teacher at Cascade, said he was pleased with the chance to have Lawson come to the school and speak to the students.

“It’s huge for the school and the community,” Spears said. “Being in my third year here teaching, one of our main goals here is to get recognition for students here in the building and get them connected to local leaders and businesses. With the business curriculum that we have here, we are trying to get our kids out and get some recognition. Bringing Sen. Lawson in is definitely part of that.”

The assembly consisted of a group of seniors taking government and economics classes, along with Spears’ business students in management and finance.

Spears said the assembly gave the students several opportunities.

“I think it went well,” he said. “I think that the kids learned a lot from it. I think to be able to hear it straight from a state senator’s mouth, it’s a different view from what we give them in the classroom. To actually hear that real-world application about taxes and lobbyists. For her to come and speak about the experience that she brings to the table and her point of view is something that the students really enjoyed.”



ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com