**87^th District State Rep. Julie Calley welcomed students and their families to the Capitol to be junior representatives for a day and experience the life of a Michigan state representative.

Local students entered a contest by reading books over the summer, filling out a bookmark with their name and the list of books they read, and returning it to their local library. During their day in Lansing, the students took an oath of office, learned about the responsibilities of being a state representative, participated in a mock committee meeting and toured the Capitol.

 

“There are two things which I hope they will remember,” Calley said. “First, literacy is an essential foundation for success. Second, diversity enriches any decision-making body. No matter where their professions lead them, public service is an option. The junior representatives were extraordinary. It was such a joy to have them at the Capitol.” 

 

Fourth-grader Hope McKinnon, a home-schooled student from Hastings, received special recognition for reading the most pages. She read 2,692 pages over the summer. The students that attended read 140 books, totaling over 20,000 pages.

 

· Ella Blood, a second-grader at Saranac Elementary School, read 396 pages;

· Olivia Blood, a fourth-grader at Saranac Elementary School, read 1,682 pages;

· Darren Carpenter, a second-grader at Maplewood Elementary School, read 432 pages;

· Taylor Carpenter, a fourth-grader at Maplewood Elementary School, read 2,362 pages;

· Samantha Keilen, a fifth-grader at St. Mary’s Elementary School, read 3,543 pages;

· Carter Krzysik, a fourth-grader at St. Rose of Lima School, read 1,304 pages;

· Tanner Krzysik, a second-grader at St. Rose of Lima School, read 1,956 pages;

· Alice Newman, a second-grader at St. Patrick Catholic School, read 268 pages;

· Garrett Lucci, a second-grader from Nashville, read 541 pages;

· Alaina McCrumb, a third-grader at Lee Elementary School, read 1,627 pages;

· Austyn McHenry, a fifth-grader at Westwood Elementary School, read 1,420 pages;

· Ben Scott, a fifth-grader at Maplewood Elementary School, read 1,809 pages; and

· Ryan Wise, a fifth-grade home-schooled student from Lake Odessa, read 740 pages.

 

Calley said she was honored to welcome the remarkable group of students and their families to the Capitol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

87^th District State Rep. Julie Calley poses for a photo with the winners of a reading contest at the Capitol in Lansing.