School to Courthouse Approach
Teach kids what you do, your way

Today's public schools are where we'll find tomorrow's county leaders—and the voters in future elections. Work with the instructors of local civic or government classes to allow students to act as county officials for a day.

One approach: Encourage teachers to show the TAC video on Texas counties, then stage on-campus "elections" and allow winners to spend an entire workday at the courthouse learning the duties and responsibilities of the office they "won." They can even conduct a mock commissioners court meeting.

More simply, you can show the video and then bring entire classes by for field trips into the courthouse way of life. If the kids can't come to the courthouse, schedule your officials to explain in class how their offices operate—be sure they distribute informational literature on what their offices do. For younger kids, suggest a poster, essay or coloring contest—an ideal way to involve students and, sometimes, their parents, too.