HFCC in conjunction with the League of Women Voters Dearborn-Dearborn Heights is hosting the 6th Annual Michigan Student Political Issues Convention on Friday October 16, 2009 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM on the college's main campus, located at 5101 Evergreen Road in Dearborn. Hundreds of students are expected to attend the political forum from colleges and universities in southeastern Michigan.
Distinguished panelists include State Senator Irma Clark-Coleman, Mayors J. O'Reilly and D. Paletko, State Representatives G. Polidori and G. Cushingberry and A. Meisner, Treasurer Oakland County.
The programs purpose is to empower young people with the knowledge and skills to become politically engaged. The Civic Action Project at Henry Ford Community College is integrated into higher education courses helping build responsible, effective and informed citizens in the world. The key to the program is activities that allow students to develop a unified voice on an issues agenda of their choosing.
The convention includes an interactive local leaders' panel where leaders are invited to hear students concerns and respond to them. Followed by concurrent workshops developed by students which may include: jobs, economy, healthcare, alternative energy, global warming, overpopulation, unemployment, education and violence. To develop a final agenda, the students work together researching issues, learning about compromise and empathy in the act of limiting their agenda to certain issues. Finally, they request local leaders take action on specific issues which fall within their realm of influence.
"The key to this program are activities which allow students to develop a unified voice on an issues agenda of their choosing," indicates Professor A. Perry of HFCC.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization which encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
