On October 17th, 2023, a group of students from the class, American Government, got to go and experience the jurisdiction here in Papillion Nebraska. While exploring the court walls, the students could go into the depths of the justice system and get an inside look into the judicial processes here in Papillion.
Junior Darian Barragan had the opportunity to participate in the adventure as he saw the legal system firsthand. His perspective shifted as he was placed in the systemic atmosphere.
“We got to pet the police dogs and go to the jail cells, and get to see the inmates, and this helped me see the real world and avoid making bad decisions,“ Barragan said.
As society grows, so does the disconnection between the student’s acknowledgment of the justice system. Bringing students’ attention to a justice system that involves not only their city but their lives, can bring the students’ real-world perspective and provide them with a chance to explore a future.
“A couple of the kids were interested in the careers in one of the locations jobs that were available to them and the tours were great. Lots of knowledge from a lot of the public services that are out there from those officials,” Chris Curry said.
Mr. Curry is the teacher who teaches the American Government class and his outlook on serving students with opportunities such as this one shows his commitment to educating today’s society.
“The purpose of the trip was for students to gain a better understanding of the county, government, and what kind of jobs are available for them. We talked about patriotism and figuring out what programs are out there and how the voting of these officials act and do things in our society,” Curry said.
Opportunities such as this one, are hard to come by because of how busy people in this type of work field are so the fact that students had the chance to explore the work field is exciting. Darian Barragan could go on and on with his sightings while on the special trip.
“The purpose of the trip was to learn about military and police equipment, and the court system. We were able to pet the police dogs and go to the jail cells,” Barragan said. “We went to the sheriff’s office down in Springfield and saw their equipment. We got to see their SWAT team equipment and my favorite part was being able to into military trucks.”
Overall, it is safe to say inspiration can come from anywhere and everywhere, including places students would not imagine. Having chances where children can experience a work environment first-hand is important in the aspect of creating a better future.
