Councilmember Rice Launches Contest for High School Students (VIDEO)

Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice is hoping to inspire area high school students to participate in a contest entitled, “Councilmember for a Day.”

Rice, who serves as the chair of the Council’s Education Committee, is asking students in grades 8 -11 (in high school in the 2016-2017 school year) to answer one of the following questions:

• Why do you think Montgomery County is a great place to live and to get an education?
• What public policy issues are important to you?
• What can Montgomery County government do to get young people more interested in local issues?

Students are required to submit YouTube videos, of two minutes or less, or written essays, of 500 words or less, answering one of the three above questions.

Entries are now being accepted, and the winner will be able to shadow Councilmember Rice for a day in October of this year as an honorary Councilmember. The deadline for entries is June 15.

Ten high school students will be selected as contest finalists based on the quality and creativity of entries. The ten finalists will receive proclamations at the Council Office Building in Rockville during a televised Council meeting, with one being selected as an honorary Councilmember, who will spend a legislative day with Councilmember Rice this fall.

“I’m always looking for creative ways to empower young people to become more involved in government,” said Rice. “Opportunities to hear what is on the minds of students and how we can do a better job of engaging young people in the political process are limited. As the father of two daughters who attend Montgomery County Public Schools, I wanted to establish a fun and easy way to get students excited about government.”

The Council has created an online form for all contest submissions, which can be accessed from Councilmember Rice’s web page at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rice/index.html.

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