New program 'Model Manatee' to give students real world government insight

Bradyn Bobbit, a senior at Braden River High School, believes students have very little understanding about how local government works. 

Bobbit, vice president of the Student Government Association at his school, said the knowledge gap becomes clear over time. Students progress through advanced history courses that focus on national and global events, while teaching on local government is more limited. 

“The most important thing students should know is that they have a role in our government system regardless of their age,” Bobbit said. “The only tool needed is understanding.” 

Bobbit is among students in Manatee County who will apply to the new Model Manatee program, which provides students with an opportunity to work with and learn from county commissioners, school board members and constitutional officers. 

County Commissioner Amanda Ballard said students tend to get educated when it comes to federal and state government, but are left to figure out how local government works themselves.

Photo by Madison Bierl

“This is something that has been sorely lacking in education,” Ballard said. “This gives the opportunity for us to encourage civic engagement at the local level, help our young people to understand what local government does, open up ideas for potential jobs in the future, and also to encourage civic responsibility engagement in our young people.” 

The Manatee County government is following Charlotte County with the program and has worked closely with the county to the south on logistics. 

Any student who has completed 10th grade and lives in Manatee County — whether in public, charter, private, or home school — can apply. The goal is to get at least 12 students to participate in the program. If interest is especially high, students will be selected from those who applied. 

Ballard said the program will be especially beneficial, a “no brainer,” for students interested in becoming elected officials, lawyers or those interested in political science. She said it will provide a hands-on experience that digs into the nuts and bolts of civic engagement. 

She said the program isn’t just for students with a special interest in government. Even if the government isn’t necessarily in a student’s wheelhouse, it is important for citizens to be informed on the way decisions are made. 

Brent Anderson, the government relations manager for Manatee County Government, said he wishes he had a program like this growing up as he wasn’t initially interested in the government world.

“Maybe we're not showing the next county commissioner what the opportunities are, but maybe they're going to find out ‘I want to be a sheriff’ or maybe ‘I want to be a tax collector,’” Anderson said. “It's going to be a cool educational process.” 

Lakewood Ranch High School’s Ben Hall, who teaches AP U.S. Government and Politics at the school, said the program is a great initiative. He said some of his most successful students have been involved with the county through internships.

“One thing that I focus on with my government students is that interaction and participation in government goes well beyond voting for president every four years,” Hall said. “Often your local school board or county commission has more impact on your daily life than who the president is.”

Keaven Zheng, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, said the program seems like it will present opportunities for both students and local officials to connect with each other. He said students learn about government in school but don’t see it in action which he said would be extremely beneficial. 

“Collaboration and trust can be fostered with this program, especially with the intensifying political climate,” Zheng said. “By facilitating conversations and real life applications rather than bias and theoretical ideas polluted in social media, it allows students to foster critical thinking and nuance within decisions.” 

He said it will help potential leaders get a head start, which then will allow them to be better prepared and more competent. 

“We learn as much from our students as they learn from us,” Superintendent Laurie Breslin said. “They're a value to have when you add their voices to any conversation.”