LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) – Thanks to a program called “Voices In Voting” hundreds of elementary and middle school students from all over the state were on a giant zoom call recently for the 2023 “Kidsvention.”

Guest speaker Punam Mathur coined a new word for the students:

“Think about a Nevada where young people have become active! And maybe that becomes NEW-vada. Oooh! See that?”

Kidsvention embodies the Voices In Voting slogan “empowering youth and inspiring democracy” by holding debates between high schoolers and state lawmakers with younger students voting yes or no on questions like whether the U-S should require 18-year-olds to register to vote (the kids said we should).

After back and forth discussions on maybe changing school start times for public school students, more Kidsvention voters said start times should change.

There was a musical recess with the Del Webb Middle School Concert Choir singing “Let Freedom Ring” by the late great George Dare.

And there was once last – and maybe even more important – debate: should students in all grades get “recess” time during the school day?

State Senator Melanie Scheible from Las Vegas:

“I think recess is an incredibly important part of not just the school day, but also the work day. There are days when I don’t get a recess, when I work straight through the whole day, eat lunch at my desk, and those days are not as good as the days that I have recess.”

Foothill High School student Vivian Schell was a no:

“Recess is fun and useful for elementary school students, but most middle and high school students would rather leave 30 minutes early.”

And what did Kidsventioneers say?

Students voted 97 to 13 that recess is a good idea.

So much fun with all the student debaters and state lawmakers. You can watch the whole event (about an hour-and-a-half) by clicking – – – > HERE.

Thanks to retired State Senator Joyce Woodhouse, the Nevada Department of Education and the whole Kidsvention team for having me as the host

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