School plays a big part in teaching generations about national government and the processes within it. However, students also need to learn about the government in their own city.
The Bossier Youth Leadership program operates under the Bossier Chamber of Commerce. For 30 years, the program has provided students with the opportunity to learn about leadership on a local level.
Lisa Johnson is the president of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce. She says that the program is dedicated to teaching high school students about local government. By requiring them to attend events close to home, they get a better understanding of how the local system works.
"We’re finding that this generation doesn’t quite understand how government works," she says. "They can go to their local town hall meetings–if they live in Plain Dealing, they can go to Plain Dealing, Benton, town of Haughton, et cetera, and go to those council meetings to see how their government works in their backyard."
Johnson says that students don’t know how to get involved in government, and BYL shows young voters how to have a role in local decisions.
"And, where’s the easiest way for you to start being involved? It’s at your local level. It’s important for them to understand that it’s important for you to go and register to vote. That you do have a voice, and it does matter," Johnson says.
BYL students also attend sessions to learn about leadership, quality of life in their city, healthcare, education, law enforcement, social services, and economic development. The first session of the year was the quality-of-life lesson. Terri Hensley is on the BYL committee, and she says this session is really eye opening for students.
"We try to not only talk about what constitutes a good quality of life in our community but what it takes to maintain it. Like, ticket prices don’t keep the door open at the Strand Theater," Hensley says. "The people that we visit with, at those locations that we tour, will talk about their budgets and how it works and all the community programs that they are."
These locations are all local businesses that have a significant impact on the city. For example, students visited the Robinson Film Center and the Bossier Parish Library at the most recent session. Hensley says that students have also been to manufacturing businesses and local architecture offices.
"There’s so many businesses that most of us aren’t aware of, have never stepped foot inside. I mean, they get exposure to a lot of things that they normally wouldn’t get to see."
Students also attend a session to learn about healthcare and how local hospitals operate. Johnson says that over the 30 years of the program, hospitals have changed significantly.
"We’ve seen the technology grow in the healthcare industry in the 30 years we’ve been doing this, because that was not there before, especially in the teaching tools. Our students can go into the area now and they can deliver a baby. And they get to experience it and see what it’s like and decide ‘Is this really what I want to do?’ if they want to be a nurse or what have you," Johnson says.
BYL also emphasizes how to be prepared for working in businesses. Students learn about proper handshakes and eye contact as well as business attire and more. Hensley says that the current generation of students has trouble with engagement in jobs, but BYL tries to improve their skills.
"We push them out of their comfort zone…almost every time. It’s really great to see the kids that, at the very first session, are really shy, and by the end of the year they’re at the front answering questions and leading the group," Hensley says.
Since the program has been around for generations, graduates of the program are now active in the workforce, and some have important roles in the community.
"Actually seeing the students that graduate the program, like, 5 years or 6 years later, and that’s when that real ‘Ah-ha’ hits them," Johnson says. "They’re like, ’Oh, now I understand why I went through it. Now I get it.’"
With Red River Radio news, I’m Alaina Atnip.