Every year, the 8th grade class takes a trip to the Missouri state capitol in order to propose a law as a capstone project to their time in middle school composition. Each student submits a proposal idea, and then the class selects one or two that will be composed into full, persuasive proposals.
This year, the class had two proposals to present in Jefferson City. One proposal advocated for stricter littering fines and a tax deduction for families who struggle to afford waste disposal services, and another proposal advocated for the installment of better sidewalks for access to the St. Louis County libraries.
In Jefferson City, the students were able to present their proposals to current state representative David Gregory, former state senator Jim Lembke, and others. The students were able to exercise all they have learned regarding persuasive writing, using classical techniques, in the writing and presenting of these proposals, and learn a little something about how these skills can play out in a democracy.
