Lisa Gray-Fritz and the 2022-2023 Kingston High School Seniors Take a Trip to Olympia
In the spring of 2023, Kingston High School seniors were presented with an opportunity to learn more about and engage with the seat of government for the State of Washington. Lisa Gray-Fritz was awarded a grant from NKSF and arranged a field trip to the state capitol for the Advanced Placement US Government seniors, and all other seniors as part of civics study on State and Local Governments.
With increasing interest among high school students in how our national and state governments operate, this opportunity to visit the state capitol further encouraged KHS seniors to stay involved in government and advocate for issues they’re deeply passionate about. Students received first-hand knowledge of our state government building in Olympia, visiting the House and Senate chambers to learn more about how bills are developed and voted on, discovered more about the role of the Governor, and had a chance to look at the courts.
As one of the more underrepresented groups in the United States, recent high school graduates fall into the category of young adults under the age of 25. Along with visits throughout the 2022-2023 school year from various lobbyists, the State Chairwoman for Kitsap County Republicans, Congressman Derek Kilmer, a retired Washington State District Court judge and a Senior Federal Judge for the Western District of Washington, this trip to our state capitol provided the students with a greater understanding of their roles as citizens in the processes that shape our state and our nation.