TeenPact...Did your younger children enjoy it?

[Swirl]

We are considering going to TeenPact in March. My chilren are 12 and 8, so they would be in the younger, one day class. To do this DH would have to take a day off work, we would need to drive up the night before and stay in a hotel, plus we would have meals out and class expenses for both children.

 

Has anyone here set in on the younger class? Would it be worth the time and expense?

 

Here's the link:

http://teenpact.com/state-classes/missouri

Edited January 17, 2011 by Swirl

[myfunnybunch]

I have not done TeenPact myself, so take my input with a grain of salt.

 

My dear friend took her daughter last year. She's 11, so she was 10 last spring. They both raved about it. :) It was near enough that they did not have to spend the night, but I believe the husband took the day off work to stay with the young son. For them, the drive and time was totally worth it.

 

Cat

[Margo out of lurking]

My kids are both going for the first time. 16yodd will be staying overnight during the week. I'll pick her up Thursday and spend the night, since 12yods has to be there at 8 a.m. the next morning for his one day class. They are both looking forward to it. There is homework for both classes, which we started today. It's costly for us, but I've heard enough that I think it will be good for both of my kids.

 

So no been there, done that, but :lurk5:.

[Sophia]

My oldest like the four day class.

My two girls went to the one day class a few years ago and hated it. I stayed with them the entire time and let's just say I probably won't bother with the one day younger class again, but will require participation in the older class for all my dc.

[Susann]

My dds both enjoy/learned a lot from Teen Pact. One MAJOR grip though, dresses in Indiana in February was just plain cruel!!!!

[mcconnellboys]

My son participated in the younger, one day class last year. He was very interested in his topic for a bill.

 

While I liked the program, almost the entire day was taken up by all the things other than the bills. It was almost as if that part were an afterthought. Perhaps this varies by location or by those running the programming - I don't know.

 

They were right at the end of the day when they finally got to sort of present their bills. Unfortunately for him, his was a little more complex issue but he was put with a group that was mostly younger children. They did not understand what his topic was about and there was no time whatsoever for him to explain it in any way - so they wouldn't vote for it. His was one of the few bills that was not passed through. He was extremely upset! He felt as if all his work had been for nothing and he didn't even get a chance to talk about the bill.

 

Not only that, but there really wasn't enough time for presentation of those bills that did get passed through because it was time to end the day! So no one really got to talk much about their bills....

 

So my thought was that perhaps it should be a two day or day and a half event and that the older kids with more complex proposals should be grouped together....

 

Or perhaps the older kids could come back for the second day and work more on their bills - or be split out from the younger group earlier in the day to concentrate more on those aspects of the day....

 

If you have a child who has never visited their state capital, then it is certainly worthwhile for that alone, but if you've been several times in past and are familiar with it and your focus for going is the bill, then you might be disappointed.

 

I had also let him do KUNA with a group the year before, and was very impressed by how those topics were debated, so I guess that's also part of why I was so disappointed that the bills seemed to be a real afterthought in this....

[laughing lioness]

I was a TP state co for 2 years so my kids went through the 1-day and state class pretty young. They LOVED it. I can't say enough great things about it. And the alumni events are just as terrific. Our kids have participated in Back to DC and field staffed as well as attending a weekend long, fully paid for Leadership Institute campaign bootcamp. My 20 year old spent quite a bit of her summer and fall this past year campaigning for Mr. Echols (who won)- opportunity provided by TP contacts.

It is well worth the money on so many levels. If you have any specific questions, ask away.

[Swirl]

Thanks so much for all the replies! Husband is now thinking it over. :001_rolleyes: I'll have him read these posts. If we're going to go, we to start preparing pretty soon.

[Margo out of lurking]

My 16yodd just finished her 4-day state class, and my 12yods went to the 1-day class on Friday. I did not offer him the option of attending--he absolutely loved it and can't wait to attend the 4-day class next year.

 

What they did in the 1-day class:

 

9:45 As the students arrived, they were given a sheet of paper with an activity to quickly meet as many other students as possible. It was a great ice-breaker.

 

10:00 Sang two songs, the first was a jump up and down/get the kids moving song, second was Amazing Grace. One of the staffers played a guitar. It was better than it sounds.

 

The kids were led in "sword drills." To my ds's complete disappointment, this did not include weapons with blades(!). Two leaders were up at the front of the class and discussed several Bible verses, which the kids raced to be the first to find. It was one more activity to keep them moving, even though they stayed in their seats.

 

10:30 We broke into three smaller groups and went over to the Capitol complex three blocks away to pray in front of the Governor's mansion, the Capitol building, and another area.

 

11:15 We met back at the conference area, and the kids each read their mock bills. As they were reading their bills, the leader would sound the gavel and direct it to a certain committee.

 

12:15 lunch

 

The afternoon events blur together, but this is what I remember.

 

The students were assigned to the committees (not necessarily where their bill was sent). Committees gathered in different areas of the building to discuss and then vote on the bills before their committee.

 

The students were given scavenger hunt-type sheets. We all went over to the Capitol and we broke into families/small groups in an effort to find the items on the list.

 

The kids had a great time participating in a mock legislature. Bills were read, authors approached the "well" and were questioned, votes were cast, all according to protocol. Some of the kids were familiar with the process, and that made it much easier for the new kids. It was hilarious; I think ALL of us learned a lot!

 

The whole program is run by older teen staffers who were INCREDIBLE. I appreciated that the kids were actively engaged the whole time in what could have been a very boring day.

 

My dd stayed at the camp during the 4-day class. Ds and I drove up on her last day, and we spent the night in a hotel since he attended on Day 5. It was absolutely worth it; the 4-day class particularly exceeded any expectation and hope I had for it. The 1-day was fun; the 4-day was life-changing.

 

I had a bit of a struggle finding an appropriate length skirt for dd. By the end of the week, dd appreciated it and was glad for the dresses/skirts only rule for girls. She said they fit in with the other women at the Capitol, none of whom were wearing pants (this is Virginia, I can't imagine it would be the same in the west). She had fun dressing up.

 

If you made it this far, and if you are still interested, definitely check out the TeenPact website to see what your state offers.