Metro State hosts metro area high school students at the Minnesota State Capitol

Over two days in December, MetroState University students and faculty coached and supported nearly 130 local high school students in role-playing as legislators at the Minnesota State Capitol, as part of the Metro State University Model Legislature. Students from Camden High School, Harding Senior High School, South High School, Two Rivers High School, Minneapolis College, and the CLUES Youth in Action Program stepped into roles as legislators, lobbyists, and staff members, gaining firsthand insight into the legislative process. These individuals had the opportunity to sit in hearing rooms and on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives chamber, debating and voting on bills drawn from real bills from the most recent legislative session. They also heard from legislative leaders like Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy and House Majority Leader Jamie Long. 

Professor C. Scott Cooper, director of the Master of Advocacy and Political Leadership (MAPL) program, said, “This is our first year running our own model legislature program through MAPL, modeled on the wonderful Winona Model Legislature that retired representative Gene Pelowski has run for years down at Winona State. He’s been hugely supportive of our work and very helpful to us all year, as we’ve planned for this event.”

With guidance from Metro State MAPL graduate students and support from Sen. Erin Murphy, Rep. Jamie Long, Rep. Emma Greenman, Rep. Jess Hanson ’24, and other elected officials, this immersive experience showcased the power of civic engagement. Held in collaboration with the Minnesota Legislature, the program offered a unique opportunity for students to explore policymaking, advocate for their communities, and envision themselves as future leaders.