The Academy for Public Service held a pilot program to conduct its model legislature and supreme court program. The model legislative session was held June 13th -June 17th; the model Supreme Court was held June 20th . Both the session and court case were held in the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock. The model legislature proposed 200 legislative bills, made 60 model laws, one constitutional amendment. The model supreme court heard one case.
Upcoming Farmington High School Senior Naomi Polanski is a member of the Arkansas Model House of Representatives. The model legislature was made up of students from around the state. Students learned about public service, leadership, parliamentary procedure, issues affecting the state and marginalized populations, ethics, professionalism, and collaboration. There were no political parties.
The Academy for Public Service was founded by Romerse Biddle in 2021. It is a non-profit organization that teaches public service leadership, democracy maintenance, collaboration, state and local issues, and civic engagement.
“The model legislature and supreme court litigants did amazing things and performed exceptional
professionalism. It was incredible they passed 60 model laws in five days. Legislators, legislative staff, and attorneys loved working with the students and were highly impressed in their performance,” said Biddle.
The mission of the Academy for Public Service is:
“To define targeted ways, to teach students how to address societal challenges and to find solutions through public service, executive, legislative, and legal pathways. To encourage and promote civic education, leadership, and participation focused on state and local government. To assist and advise students as well as interested public servants and the public in creating solutions to several state and local challenges. All participants will serve as ambassadors of the communities they serve as well as states they represent.”
Next year’s session will be in June of 2023. For more information, go to the Academy’s website,
www.academyforpublicservice.org. If you are interested in participating or sponsoring a student
legislator, please email Romerse Biddle at arbiddle@academyforpublicservice.org.