Thank you to the students, parents and coaches who participated in the third annual FCDI Day at The Capitol! On Wednesday, February 7, more than 100 students, coaches and family members traveled to our state’s capitol to advocate for the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) and be immersed in the state government process during the 2024 legislative session. The students, winners of the 2024 National Civics and Debate Championship: The Great Debate (The Great Debate), proudly represented the top talent of the 67 school districts across Florida that have FCDI programs.
To kick off their day, students gathered at the front of Florida’s Historic Capitol for a group photo. After taking in the landscape of the beautiful Capitol Courtyard, the students went to the House Chamber Floor in the Capitol to engage in a mock session.
Before they started their mock session, students heard from former Speaker of the House, Steve Crisafulli. Former Speaker Crisafulli is a Florida Education Foundation Board member, a lobbyist and a business consultant for organizations in the health care, insurance and agriculture sectors across Florida and the nation.
The students passionately debated House Bill (HB) 1: Social Media Usage by Minors. HB 1 is a bill that's being considered during Florida’s 2024 legislative session. The champion of The Great Debate, Apopka High School student Saaya Lijo, along with her co-sponsor Valley Ridge Academy middle school student, Andrew Dunn, sponsored the bill. Students made strong arguments for both sides, but ultimately, the students voted on the bill and it did not pass. (Although, in Florida’s 2024 legislative session, HB 1 was vetoed by Governor Ron DeSantis and it has been replaced with a complimentary bill, HB 3, Online Access to Materials Harmful to Minors. HB 3 has passed the Florida Senate and the Florida House.)
After experiencing their mock session in the House, the students moved to the Senate Chamber of the Historic Capitol, where they were greeted by Florida Commissioner of Education, Manny Diaz, Jr. Commissioner Diaz discussed the necessity of civic engagement with the students and shared his appreciation for the FCDI program. He also shared with the students the most valuable lessons throughout his career.
After hearing from Commissioner Diaz, the students welcomed Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, who highlighted the importance of civics education with the group, saying, “Civics is so important and we prioritize it as an administration because we recognize that it truly is the foundation. It's how we stay involved, how we stay informed and how we become active in government. And we're also reminded of our volatility to our state, to our country, because it's crucial for the success of our democracy.”
The FCDI students also welcomed Florida’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, Adrianna Swearingen, who spoke about her career and meaningful experience as an educator.
The students heard from Richard Corcoran who serves as the President of New College of Florida. President Corcoran shared his takeaways from a successful career in state government, including serving as Speaker of the Florida House and Commissioner of Education. He encouraged the students to lead with the values of courage and kindness in their lives, first and foremost.
Allison Carter, Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House, stopped by to speak with the students on how she got involved in state government. She remarked how one does not have to run for an elected office to get involved in the legislative process, as she worked her way up during her career through many different positions.
Next, the students heard from Peter Cuderman, the Director of Legislative Affairs in the Executive Office of the Governor. Peter gave an inspiring speech, motivating the students to never give up on their journey to achieving their dreams. Using anecdotes from his personal career journey, his wisdom was well-received by the group of students.
Representative Sam Garrison, who currently serves in the Florida House, spoke with the students about his role as a legislator and explained that Florida has a citizen legislature; one where it's made up of citizens who have a full-time occupation in addition to being a state legislator. Representative Garrison concluded with answering questions from students about a wide variety of topics, such as HB 1 and the most impactful part of his career so far (it was serving as a prosecutor!).
After hearing from an incredible lineup of notable speakers, the group made their way to the Florida Supreme Court and met with Florida Supreme Court Justice Jaime Grosshans. Justice Grosshans is one of three female Supreme Court Justices currently sitting on the Florida Supreme Court— the first time in history this has happened. The students listened attentively as she shared her experience as a justice and the role of the Supreme Court in making decisions for the state of Florida.
Finally, the students went back to the Capitol to meet and take a picture with a surprise guest— Governor Ron DeSantis! The students were ecstatic upon hearing they were meeting him, and even more so that he took time to answer a few questions about what it’s like to be Governor.
The National Civics and Debate Championship winners and their families had an eventful and successful day at the Florida State Capitol. We are excited for all of the wonderful opportunities in store for Florida Civics and Debate Initiative students this upcoming year with more tournaments and fun events!
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