Grade 2 students get a lesson in local government at Morinville Council Chambers

By Shelley Winger
Morinville Council Chambers were filled with excitement, raised hands, and
plenty of thoughtful questions this week as more than 80 Grade 2 students got
a behind-the-scenes look at how local government works.
Four classes visited Town Hall for a special learning experience that
introduced students to the role of municipal council and the people who help
make decisions for the community. The visit gave students a chance to see
firsthand where important discussions take place and how local leadership
helps shape everyday life in Morinville.
Mayor Boersma welcomed the students and spoke with them about what
council does, how decisions are made, and why it’s important for residents to
be involved in their community. The session quickly turned into an energetic
exchange, with students eagerly raising their hands to ask questions about
everything from how laws are created to what a mayor does during a typical
day.
Beyond the discussion, students were also given a chance to explore the
Council Chambers themselves. Sitting in the same seats used by the mayor
and councillors during official meetings was a clear highlight of the visit. For
many, it was their first time inside Town Hall, making the experience both
memorable and meaningful.
The visit served as an early introduction to civic engagement, helping young
students understand that local government plays an important role in parks,
roads, programs, and services they use every day. Learning about these
responsibilities at a young age helps build awareness of how communities
function and encourages future participation.
Municipal governments like Morinville’s are responsible for many of the
services residents rely on daily. This includes maintaining roads and

sidewalks, managing parks and recreation facilities, supporting local
emergency services, and planning for future growth and development. Council
also makes decisions about local bylaws, community programs, and how tax
dollars are spent to meet the town’s needs. Seeing where these decisions
happen helped make those responsibilities more real and easier for students
to understand.
Bringing students into real-life civic spaces also helps make government feel
more accessible and less abstract. Instead of only reading about government

in a textbook, students were able to see where decisions happen and connect
those ideas directly to their own town.
School visits like this are a valuable way to bridge classroom learning with the
real world. They give students the opportunity to ask questions, build
confidence speaking in a public setting, and start thinking about how they can
contribute to their community as they grow older.
Judging by the enthusiasm and curiosity in the room, the visit made a strong
impression. Morinville may well have a few future councillors — or even a
future mayor — already sitting in Grade 2 classrooms today.