The Joint Appropriations Committee paused agency business to hear a presentation by We the People students from Cody High School. Teacher‑organized and led by facilitators in Cody, the students explained the program’s structure, noted it is a graduation requirement in their district, and described how civic education is integrated into classwork and local competitions that feed into the state and national levels.

Student presenters (Wade Bauer, Dylan Power, Nick Stewart, Kristen Boyson, Sunday Shue) described their recent local success and the skills they gain through the program, including public speaking, research, and simulated congressional hearings. The students noted the program’s costs for travel and meals when advancing to state or national competitions and asked the committee to continue a previously authorized biennial budget footnote of about $120,000 that aids teams in attending state competitions.

Legislators praised the students and discussed pathways for continued youth civic engagement. Students said they plan further advocacy work (including a student‑sponsored suicide prevention bill and Youth for Justice lobbying in February) and described school efforts to expand civic programs countywide. The committee welcomed interaction, asked follow‑up questions about classroom integration and class sizes (students reported a senior class near 115), and encouraged continued youth contact with legislators.

What happens next: students indicated they will return during the session to lobby for bills and the committee will consider the footnote request during appropriation deliberations.