Friday, Nov. 30, was Take a Legislator to School Day in Lunenburg County. A group of elected officials toured the schools in the county. The group included State Sen. Frank Ruff, Del. Tommy Wright, Mike Hankins (myself) Lunenburg Board of Supervisors, several members of the Lunenburg School Board and school administration. The tour started with ham biscuits and doughnuts at Central High School.

At Central High School we toured some of the marketing classes and computer classes. We watched while students worked on a shelving system for computer storage that will be used in each of the schools. We were informed that for the cost of buying one of the storage units the students could build four units and it gave the students some hands on experience. It is important to keep in mind that not every student who attends these classes will go into construction trades, but most will live in a house that will need some repair or improvements someday. The things they are learning today will be helpful to them as adults. I saw young ladies in the class working on building the storage units. This is great! These ladies will not have to wait for a husband to do a project on the Honey-Do-List. They are learning to be independent. One class was learning to track the stock market and picking stocks to invest in. I did not start learning about this until I was in my 20s and then it was by trial and error. This is important so students can learn to invest for their future. Other classes were on starting a business and learning how to run it.

At the middle school we saw posters that the students had made covering some of the amendments to the United States Constitution. The posters used pictures and no words. We set in on an art class that used computers to create ads for businesses. We also saw how the computer storage units that were made at the high school were being used at the middle school. This is an excellent example of good management in the Lunenburg School System. We even got a short Christmas Concert from the band.

At Victoria Elementary the students showed us how some things conduct electricity and others do not. We had a good lesson in everyday use of fractions. Wright learned about Pangea by asking a student about a map he saw on the wall. We saw how students are starting personal libraries by buying books at school for them to keep at home. The students at both elementary schools presented Sen. Ruff and Del. Wright with a handmade Thank You Card.

At Kenbridge Elementary the students showed us artwork they had made. I had a very interesting talk with a student about Narwhals. Do you know a Narwhal is the Unicorn of the Sea? Do you know what a Narwhal is? Ask your kids who go the Kenbridge Elementary if you don’t. We had kids in pre-school make us homemade lemon aid.

I left the tour so impressed with the knowledge these kids could show visiting guests. I did not see my first computer until I was in my late 20s. I thought then that computers would only be useful in some limited jobs. Now kids are learning how to use computers in elementary school, as part of their everyday classroom work. I left the tour with mixed feelings. I am very proud of our school system for the excellent management and wonderful teaching staff. The kids wowed me with knowledge, manners and a little showmanship. After seeing all the things that these students are doing in the classroom I also felt old and a little dumb. Many of the things these kids are learning I did not know until well after I had finished college and had been working for many years. To be honest, some of the things they are learning I don’t know now. I hope people in Lunenburg are proud of the kids in our schools like I am. If you want to feel old and dumb, just talk to a kid.

Mike Hankins is the Brown’s Store District Supervisor with the Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors. He can be reached at mike. hankins0060@gmail.com.